Fate's Allotter
by Kist
Summary: She had been standing next to her cousin, smiling carelessly, but then the world shifted and Sakura was tossed down an unknown road. Standing in the middle of the Third Shinobi War armed with only a kunai and a hair-clip, she makes her stand. It's not about what she did in the past, but rather what she didn't do. A slow, burning romance. See inside for pairings.
1. Down the Rabbit Hole

**Summary**: She had been standing next to her cousin, smiling carelessly, but then the world shifted and Sakura was tossed into the middle of the Third Shinobi War. Armed only with a single kunai and a hair clip, she makes her stand. It's not about the fact that she was thrown back in time but _why_. It's not about what she did in the past, but what she _didn't_ do. It's a story about how she got there... and how she came back. A slow, burning romance.

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**Pairings**: First, this is a story about _Sakura_ and her adventures during the Third shinobi war. This is not a fic about who hooks up with who; it is a story about what might have happened realistically if she had been thrown into the past. It is an adventure story first and foremost with action, suspense, and general awesomeness. Romance, while important, is not the central the me so if you can stomach the suggestion of an odd pairing, you might actually enjoy a good story.

Of course, I understand if you find these couples revolting (just like I find Orochimaru/Third Hokage pairings a bit far out), but just know you'll be missing out on an amazing adventure. This is not going to be a story you will regret reading, and I promise to make it worth your while.

That being said, there are a number of Naruto/Sakura _and_ Minato/Sakura moments within the story. No, I'm not trying to turn Sakura into a pimp or a pervert, but a certain amount of attraction has to be present in order to advance certain aspects of the storyline. However, there are plot twists around every corner so just because person A may be _attracted_ to person B doesn't necessarily mean they will end up together.

If you just absolutely have to know before you read another word of this story, please PM me and I will be more than happy to give you some plot spoilers of why both pairings are hinted at and which one will prevail.

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**Disclaimer**: I do not now nor have I ever claimed ownership of Naruto or any of its characters.

…

**Fate's Allotter: Part 1**

**Chapter 1: Down the Rabbit hole**

When Sakura woke up on that fateful morning, she hadn't realized the significance of the day. As she rolled over to stare at her alarm clock, she was not thinking about the date or the year or the fact that there was going to be a full moon that evening. No, all she thought about as her eyes widened in alarm was the fact that she was _late_.

Her mother was going to kill her.

Cursing as she tumbled from her tangled mess of sheets, she nearly tripped over her "damn blasted, thrice cursed, ill-witted, good for nothing" cat in her mad dash for the closet. Mr. Fluffykins purred as he settled into the warm spot in the blankets she had just vacated, and his blue eyes followed the young woman as she shot from the house like a bat out of hell.

As she raced through the breaking dawn fixing the jingling hairpiece and trying in vein to straighten her obi, she did not sense the presence on the corner. Nor the dark eyes that trailed after her.

Had she known—but then how could anyone have known? Mortals cannot see the wheels of fate as they turn. But even if she had some kind of insight, would she have been able to change her destiny? Would she have even tried?

But these were not the thoughts of the woman clattering down the cobblestone path; she was more afraid of dishonoring her father by her tardiness and rumpled appearance than what her future held. Such is the nature of ninja as they lived almost exclusively in the present.

While her clan was of no significant measure, or at least not by any ninja standards, they were still a clan, and like all clans, they were founded on strict traditions. Even though her ninja duties excused her from the majority of the family's affairs, today was a special day.

Temple day was of great importance to her family. Few were aware of this, but in the days before shinobi, the small community that would become Konocha had been protected by the samurai—her ancestors. This day marked when her ancestors had united the people of Koro—for such as Konoha was called in those days—and a great many races that had previously fought and bickered were united under the strength of her ancestors. The first protectors. In time, they would come to protect the entire region of what would become Fire Country, and to this day, some of the clan members, cousins mostly, still took up the call of the samurai and stood at the Daimyo's side. Although their role was more ceremonial than anything, they could still defend their Daimyo in times of need, drawing their swords only in his defense.

The Temple that the pink-haired medic was approaching was constructed by the Daimyo when the shinobi arrived and filled the samurai's place. It was built so as to be a reminder that it was men that were of ordinary skill who first united the land of fire.

Perhaps if her life had been different, she would have been expected to marry one of the Daimyo's nephew's or a son had the Daimyo been blessed with one. As it was, nobility often scoffed at the shinobi life, considering it foul and dirty, and hardly considered marriageable.

Sakura hardly minded, having found those childhood lectures on how to sit and smile and stand tiring even on her best days. She had no desire to be betrothed to someone who didn't know how to laugh without restraint or to smile without meaning. The very thought of being trapped indoors and being painted to look like a doll for the rest of her life made her skin crawl.

She had been the first in several generations, much less the first female, to join the shinobi ranks so naturally there were a few _comments_ in regard to her newfound position. Sakura would never be able to thank her father enough for withering those judgmental glances and snide remarks for how he let his _heir_, his only child, run amuck with with such low-ranked persons as _shinobi_.

Her mother had been scandalized, of course, when she finally learned of the truth, and there had been a icy chill in the house ever since. Of all the people who stood in the way of Sakura's path to becoming a ninja, she had never expected her mother to be the most vocal of the lot.

Sakura sighed solemnly. It was just one of the many stones that had been cast that had build such a wall between them.

As the temple came in sight, she slowed her pace, easing her rapid breathing. _'A woman must always look refined,'_ her mother's nagging voice reminded her as she smoothed out her silk kimono, tucking in the folds and straightening her obi. _'You must always appear as they imagine you; not a hair out of place!'_ Jabbing a few more pins in her hair, she began walking at a much more refined manner. _'Sakura, use small, graceful steps. You are not a man to walk with such long strides.'_

Her uncles and cousins had her father surrounded, talking politics as to who the future clan head would be, when the latest shipments from Suna were coming in, if they could expect trade negotiations with Cloud to proceed, and so on. Sakura nodded to him politely as she passed the swarm of flies and stood next to her mother.

The elder Haruno didn't so much as glance at her daughter. "You were nearly late."

"My apologies," Sakura replied in a flat tone, "but you know the nature of my work."

Her mother wrinkled her nose in disgust. "It is not a nature fitting of a lady, especially not one of your heritage."

"I _am_ honoring my heritage, " she replied with a touch of irritation, "serving my people just as my ancestors before me."

It was an old tired argument and had actually started long before Sakura had even began considering her desire to become a shinobi. Mrs. Haruno was strict and had very specific ideas of what her daughter's life should be like, and when Sakura did not live up to those expectations or turned her back on them completely, the mother-daughter relationship collapsed.

Mrs. Haruno wanted a nice, clean, presentable daughter with a respectable reputation in manners and demeanor, and as a child, Sakura had once eaten a handful of mud and three worms just to prove to a neighbor boy that she was just as tough as boys were. Mrs. Haruno had wanted her daughter to be cultivated and refined, sitting and smiling just so, but Sakura wanted to read books other than etiquette (like The Art of War and History of the Fire Nation) and wanted to run around in shorts like a boy rather than skirts or constricting kimono. If Mrs. Haruno wanted her daughter to sing, the child would _howl_ like a dying dog. If Sakura wanted to go outside and climb trees with the other kids, her mother would make her sit in the kitchen and arrange flowers.

Round and round they went like oil and water that was unable to mix or bend or compromise. Each one was too stubborn and willful, and when Sakura had signed up for the academy, _against_ her mother's _loud_ disproval, that had been the end for them.

The only reason they ever tolerated the other's presence was because of their shared love for Sakura's father (perhaps the only thing they did have in common). Mr. Haruno was a quiet man who had very careful extracted himself from the women's bitter arguments. He was not the type of man to choose his wife over his daughter nor his daughter over his wife. Perhaps he hoped that his negligence of their arguments would force them to come to some resolution, but so far, there was no sign of such a thing occurring.

On the other hand, her more distant relatives were more than eager to take sides as they sought after their own advancement in the clan. Some favored Sakura's untraditional approach with the hope that despite her ninja background, she might still be made clan head. Others attempted to curry favor with her mother and presented their much more _suitable_ children to her in the hopes that she would pressure her husband to make that child his heir.

Mrs. Haruno, who seemed to like nothing more than receiving flattery, savored these family gatherings and was more than happy to throw her daughter snide remarks throughout these meetings. Sakura believed that somehow this was her mother's way of trying to pressure her into becoming a more "honorable" daughter, and she tried to be patient and understanding, taking the harsh glares in silence. Her mother didn't realize what being a shinobi meant to Sakura just as Sakura knew that she would never know what being a noblewoman meant to her mother. So she tried to be patient and understanding; a task that was hardly considered easy.

As such, it was with no small relief when Sakura noticed one of her younger cousins approaching her. A small boy with freckles and a missing tooth smiled at her shyly. "Sakura-sama would you walk in the gardens with me?"

Sakura smiled at the little boy affectionately, "Of course I will chibi-chan. It would be my honor."

His gap-toothed grin warmed her heart. "Can we go now?" he begged, bouncing impatiently on his toes.

Her mother pursed her lips at the boy's rushed manner, but it only caused Sakura's smile to widen. "Very well."

But before she could take a single step, her mother grabbed her elbow. Tilting her head to meet her mother's eyes, Sakura was surprised by the uncharacteristic look of fear. The grip on her elbow tightened as her mother bent forward slightly quickly muttering, "Hurry back."

Mrs. Haruno looked as though she had more to say, more she yearned to say, but before Sakura could voice her questions on her mother's unusual behavior, the little boy's hand had wormed into her own and he was tugging on her arm, eager to get moving.

"Sakura!" he whined, "C'mon let's go!"

Distracted from her mother's meaningful expression, Sakura let herself be dragged off. "Alright, alright, I'm coming already."

The walk in the gardens was another tradition. Throughout the garden, there were small shrines to deities or ancestors that had been considered especially heroic by the Daimyo. After they had lit incense and prayed at each one, they would climb the stairs to the temple to await the formal ceremony.

The pair had been walking a few minutes in silence before the little boy tugged on her arm to get her attention.

"I got you a present Sakura-sama."

"You don't have to call me sama," she said stooping to his level, "Sakura-san is fine." In all honesty, she would have preferred an even less formal title, but her mother would absolutely murder her if she dismissed all formalities. Ninja or not, her title was still of some importance.

But the little boy didn't seem to be paying any attention to her as he searched his pockets and procured his gift. A small scroll. It looked ancient, the paper yellowed and crinkled at the edges. Taking it from his outstretched hands, she held it delicately.

"What is it?" she asked curiously.

"Open it! Open it!" The little boy cheered.

She glanced at him. Something was off about the kid; although he had the same excitement as a normal boy his age, he didn't have the refinement that was so characteristic of the Haruno clan, and his eyes were dark, almost black, which, while it wasn't unheard of, was considered highly unusually in her vibrant clan. Sakura didn't sense any ill intent from him just general excitement, and even his charka coils appeared normal for his age.

"C'mon," he whined with a cute pout, "open it already."

She smiled letting her suspicions slide. "Alright, calm down chibi-chan," she said, patting his head, "see I'm opening it."

As her finger curled back the parchment, black ink rolled up her skin. The young woman froze, her pupils dilating as though she were caught in a genjutsu. Ancient characters continued to crawl across her skin covering her arms, wrapping around her waist, sliding down her legs. A few crept up either side of her neck and marched their way across her face until they met in the middle of her forehead. Two kanji, one for time and the other for space, stretched towards each other. When they touched, a brilliant light, bright as a star and equally as blinding erupted from the figure of the pink-haired girl as the characters on her skin glowed red with an ancient energy that _pulled_ inward.

Then the light was gone and a faint _thump_ could be heard as something landed on the ground.

Brining his hands back down from where they protected his eyes from the burning light, the boy found himself standing alone in the garden with a scroll, now blank, sitting at his feet. Picking it up, he put it back in his pocket.

"I'm surprised that you acted so quickly." The boy turned to see the head Haruno walking towards him with the usual entourage surprisingly absent.

The boy tilted his head to the side, and his form shifted, growing taller and broader until it took on the shape of a man.

"I have waited long enough."

.

Sakura looked around in confusion. Her cousin had seemingly vanished.

"Chibi-chan?" she called, scanning the gardens for her missing cousin, but the blob of reddish hair was mysteriously absent.

'How odd,' she thought, 'maybe he got scared and went to the front of the temple with the others?'

As she began making her way back to the front, the garden seemed strange and foreign to her. The trees seemed smaller, the plants were arranged in a somewhat different manner, and she couldn't recall ever seeing those yellow flowers before. She fingered the delicate blossoms carefully, wondering how she could have missed them.

Before she had any more time to contemplate the disappearance of her cousin or the strangeness of the flowers, she sensed the approach of three chakra signatures heading towards her. She straightened immediately. The Hokage knew the significance of this day to her family and would not call on her unless it was an absolute emergency, but as three masked ninja appeared in the garden before her, it took all of her training to not bite her lip in worry.

The tall one with a wolf mask she was unfamiliar with addressed her. "Citizen, did you not receive notice?"

Citizen? Sakura was a _shinobi_. She had not been called a _citizen_ since she was a child, but given her current appearance, she could forgive this unintentional slight.

"No, I was visiting the temple with my family."

"There are others here?" asked the shinobi on the left. He had blond hair that was spiky and familiar, but his voice and chakra signature were not that of her teammate. For a moment, her heart ached at missing him as Naruto was gone on another training mission, but recalling the present situation, she immediately centered herself for the task at hand.

"Yes, I was just walking with my little cousin, but he seems to have disappeared suddenly. My parents should be at the front of the temple along with my older cousins and uncles."

The three men tensed, and her level of apprehension only increased.

"What has happened?" She asked, her own muscles tensing.

The tall leader didn't answer her. "Kuru search the front of the temple, see if you can locate the refugees. Minato, sweep the area for the boy. Miss, you better come with me, quickly."

Now Sakura was outright alarmed. No answers and only more questions as the tall man that _she did not know_ tried to usher her along.

"What's happening? Where are you taking me?"

He grabbed her arm as though he intended to drag her, "There isn't time to explain Miss. The Iwa forces are drawing near the village, and Hokage-sama has ordered that everyone remain behind the safety of the walls."

'_Iwagakure? A surprise attack? But didn't we just sign a treaty?!_' And what about her cousin? If something happened to him she would never forgive herself.

Wrenching her arm free from the tall leader, she darted back through the garden. "Chibi-chan! Chibi-chan! It's me Sakura, please come out! We need to get home!"

In a flash, the tall ninja was in front of her, blocking her path. "Please go back to the village, I promise we'll find your cousin. It isn't safe here."

But Sakura wasn't listening as she shoved him out of the way, fear creeping into her voice as she leapt through the rows of hedges. "Chibi-chan!"

Her traditional wooden sandals and constricting kimono hampered her movements, and she was tempted to use the kunai hidden in her obi to slash the fabric so she could move more fluently. Before her hand could reach her concealed weapon, she was stopped again, this time by the blond shinobi.

Some part of her recognized that stance, that solemn look of one about to bear bad news. During the war she had become so familiar with that look that she didn't even need to ask what he had to say.

"I'm sorry," he said, "the little boy is... he's gone."

She felt something inside of her shatter as her vision blurred, and tears, hot and burning like acid, rolled down her cheeks. Sakura clutched her sides as if her arms could keep her from breaking. '_A boy, just a little boy_.' She felt the blond man's eyes on her as she curled inward and struggled to gain control of her emotions.

The tall shinobi with the wolf mask appeared beside the other man, and the two exchanged a few words that she couldn't hear before the tall man disappeared.

The blond stayed, a silent presence.

"My parents," she finally whispered, "Are they safe?"

His hesitation was enough of an answer. "I am so sorry," he repeated.

She nodded once, as if confirming it for herself. His eyes were sympathetic, and she was once again struck by their familiarity. Warm blue like the oceans, soft and gentle and sad—just like Naruto's. And when everything was breaking inside her, that was who she needed, who would comfort her, the only person she wanted to comfort her, but he could have been a million miles from her for all the difference it made. This doppelganger would have to do.

She wanted to throw her arms around him and pretend that he was her best friend, but instincts rejected this idea. Despite his appearance, this man was a stranger. No amount of grief or desperation could allow her to abandon such requirements as basic trust. She clung to herself instead, willing her shoulders to bear the weight.

"I'll walk you back to the village," the man said, his voice gentle.

Sakura felt a coldness settle in her, a kind of numb complacency. The man put a hand on her shoulder in a gesture of comfort, but she hardly felt it in her own grief.

As they began to walk, grief turned in to guilt. How had she not sensed the Kumo nin? Had all these years of training been for nothing if she couldn't sense a group of ninja murdering her family. She had failed in the most basic aspect of shinobi life, to protect those who could not protect themselves.

As the pair walked through the east gates of the village, the pink-haired girl looked up at the faces guarding the wall, searching for someone familiar, Ino maybe, to explain what was happening, someone who would hug her and make promises that things would be alright, someone who would _understand_… but all the faces on the wall were foreign and strange. No one called out to her, no one greeted her, no one knew who she was or what she had lost. More than anything else, that made the anxiety in her heart grow until she was almost completely overwhelmed.

A guard greeted them as they passed through the door, "Any word on the refugees staying at the temple?"

Her companion shrugged, "She's the only one?"

Sakura's mind felt slow and sluggish as little warning bells went off. She struggled to place the problem, but it felt as though pieces, important pieces were missing, but by the time she refocused on her present situation, the blond shinobi was gone.

"My Lady," the guard called gaining her attention, "I have a map to the refugee center, but I can arrange for someone to walk you there if you think you will get lost."

Taking the map from him, she inclined her head in acknowledgement, "Thanks, but I'll manage."

So they thought she was a lady of some sort. Strange, she thought the whole village was aware of her characteristic pink hair—not that she had a big head, it just that it was hard to not stand out in a crowd.

As she walked the familiar route back home, she couldn't help noticing slight changes here and there. A missing tree, a missing bench, more of those yellow flowers. Perhaps all the work at the hospital had been getting to her lately and she had been oblivious to the changes, but those same alarm bells kept ringing louder and louder with every step she took.

When she stood outside her parents' house, the very place she had been running from just a few hours ago, the first thing she did was perform a genjutsu release. Then another. And another. And when it finally became apparent that she _wasn't_ in a genjutsu and she _wasn't_ dreaming and she _wasn't_ standing outside the wrong house, she very nearly had a panic attack. It was her parents' old house, or at least it was before all the remodeling and the extension in the back and the addition of the porch to the front.

She stared and stared and stared. Puzzle pieces, unbelievable as they were, began falling into place. She was shaking and sweating and her heart was racing a mile a minute, and in desperation she searched around wildly for proof that she was wrong, that her mind had left her in the moment of grief, but the more she looked, the more the panic rose in her chest. The village was smaller, the buildings were less congested, the hokage tower, the _old_ one, was still standing.

But it was the faces in the mountain that finally drove it home. One, two, three. No Tsuande, no 4th hokage.

She was alone then, back in a place where her friends could never reach her. Back before they existed, before even _she_ existed. No Tsunade, no Ino, no Naruto, no Kakashi, no Mom, no Dad. She didn't have any weapons or money. She didn't have a job or a house.

She trembled and shook, but she did not cry. Instead, she walked forward. Her feet carried her to the bottom of the Hokage tower, and she stood outside as a war was waged in her mind. Should she tell? Should she not tell? Would he believe her? Should she lie? Would she ever be able to go home again? Could he help her?

.

The third Hokage stared at the woman seated across from him. Her kimono indicated that she was of some noble birth as such high quality silk was not readily available in times as war, and her unusual hair color indicated that she was a foreigner, perhaps from Cloud or a refugee from Whirlpool. He certainly didn't know of any pink-haired families living in the land of fire—not even the Haruno's were that colorful.

The woman was quiet as she sipped her tea, quite aware of his evaluation. She kept glancing at his face as though she kept rediscovering his presence and finding it surprising. Perhaps, mused the Third, he was not quite what she had been expecting.

"What brings my lady to the Land of Fire?" he asked summoning all the proper mannerisms of a courtly official.

She carefully set down her cup. "The manner of my coming is of great concern, but before I continue, would you be so kind as to activate the seal of silence? These matters are of a most sensitive nature, and I wouldn't risk them being overheard."

The Hokage was impressed. A noble of high rank indeed, perhaps even a princess, to know of such things as the seal of silence. Not that it was a secrete per say (most hidden villages had them in their administration buildings) just that it didn't reach the common knowledge of most citizens.

Had he known that the young woman was struggling to restrain herself and that the slowness of her words and the softness of her voice came not from years of court exposure but the careful evaluation as to what she _could_ say that would not instantly reveal her. The back of her mind was whirling with dates and patterns of speech and slang of the era—perhaps she could play the foreigner card but after a while, someone was bound to notice the little peculiarities.

After the room was sealed and the Hokage reseated, Sakura once again chose her words with care, "It is the tradition of my family to visit the Wunting temple every year. We had believed ourselves to be safe, but as I have come to understand, that is not so. My cousin and I were walking in the gardens when I lost sight of him. As I searched for him, three shinobi approached me with an urgency to take shelter at the village of Konoha as the grounds were no longer safe. As the events unfolded, I was the only one who was brought here. My cousin is dead and, for all I am aware, so too is the rest of my family."

She hesitated then, and whether it was in grief or fear, the Hokage could not tell, but he did not press, understanding the sensitivity of her experience.

Sakura, however, was not reliving the events of the temple as the Hokage imagined. No, she was playing a fast-forward-rewind game, trying to figure out who she should be or claim to be, what she could change or couldn't change, what affect her presence would have on both the past and the future. Should she tell the Hokage the whole truth and face his skepticism? Should she lie and pray that she was never found out?

Again, she chose her words with care. "My circumstances are a bit peculiar, and I hardly know how to explain. I am without title or coin and my name has little value. I cannot morn my family or raise a memorial in their honor without causing much disquiet among your people."

"My dear," the Hokage began with an air of great sympathy, "while we have not been allies with Whirlpool, the people of Konoha would not protest raising a memorial in their honor, and we are no stranger to refugees, foreign or otherwise."

When the girl started in surprise, it only confirmed Third's suspicions. So he had guessed right that she was from Whirlpool—the tragedy that had sparked the Third Shinobi War. Even though her kimono had some signs of wear, cuts and tears, it was remarkable that the young woman had arrived here in such pristine condition.

Which led him to another theory… "Perhaps I am mistaken, but are you a kunoichi?"

There was a certain fierceness to the girl's eyes, a sharpness that didn't come from spending her days sitting like a flower.

"I am a _shinobi._" She declared, forcefully and with pride, showing more emotion in that simple sentence than she had in the entire extent of her conversation so far.

While many might have shrugged it off, saying isn't that the title of kunoichi and shinobi were the same, Hiruzen, a man surrounded by war himself, understood. The fact that the word kunoichi exists is very telling. The Third liked to think of it as a relic from a time long gone before men and women stood on equal fields—but some roles had remained stagnant. Kunoichi were a force in their own right, but they had a tendency to take up positions as spies, medics, and, occasionally, seducers. Not soldiers. By declaring herself a shinobi, she claimed that she was as fit as any other to stand on the front lines and fight amongst chaos and bloodshed.

It surprised the Hokage such a fierce declaration, and he responded as neutrally as he could, "Indeed."

The girl deflated. "I apologize Hokage-sama for my boldness, I am merely used to having to explain my ninja pride to those who do not understand."

The man nodded, "Did you wish to take up residence here? Become a… shinobi of the Hidden Leaf?"

The girl's face pursed in an unreadable expression, and Hiruzen got the impression that he had somehow insulted her again.

"It is not that I do not wish to fight for you, Hokage-sama just that I wish to return home."

The Third scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, "You wish to rebuild Whirlpool?"

Sakura sat very very still. It was either now or never, and yet, she still had not decided what she wanted. Dare she keep up the facade of being a foreign nin, displaced by circumstance? It was an easy alibi, but one that was easily disproved. All it would take is someone who really was a previous resident of Whirlpool to state that they had never seen a girl with pink hair in their village.

It would have been easier to change her "background" so that she was from Snow, a country renowned for it's strangely colorful population. People from Snow rarely left their homeland, and even when they did, it was even less likely that they would travel as far north as Fire Country.

And yet, there was another problem; Sakura's specialty had never been infiltration and spy work. Team seven had been designed to be a open-combat team, and while Sakura probably could pull off the occasional undercover mission, could she keep her identity hidden for months? years? From her own village no less?

And then when they caught her researching strange things like sealing techniques and time/space transport would they still remain unsuspicious? This was the era of the the Yellow Flash, and she very much doubted any elemental nation would pass up the opportunity to learn such a technique so her carrying around scrolls of a similar topic wouldn't exactly be building her a reputation as a trustworthy shinobi.

Sakura wanted to be able to meddle in the affairs of the village, changing fate and fortune without anyone batting an eye. She needed to be able to freely dig through the archives without anyone questioning her motives, and what she needed more than anything (as much as it pained her to admit it) was help.

"Ah no, I believe you have misunderstood me. I am not from Whirlpool," she said softly, her eyes downcast.

Hiruzen watched her shift uncomfortably, and got the impression he was about to learn the real reason this young woman was sitting in his office under the highest level of secrecy. "Then where are you from?"

Sakura felt her heart pounding in her chest, her palms moistening with sweat. He had to believe her; he just _had_ to. She couldn't afford to get this wrong, and she really didn't want to spend the next two weeks down in T&I drugged up and screaming out her secrets.

She picked her words carefully, mindful of her audience. "Forgive me Hokage-sama for this is where my story becomes unbelievable, but I am a refugee that has been displaced in time not place. Ano, I am from Konoha, but a different Konoha."

He stared. And stared a bit more. He felt like rubbing his eyes and calling for T&I, or a Yamanaka at the very least, but he got the impression that would not sit well with his strange guest.

"I know it is a bit unbelievable, but I think it is a scroll that transported me here. It was foolish of me to open it so casually, but I did not imagine I would ever encounter such a rare artifact or be kidnapped from one era and thrown into another."

The Hokage felt a headache coming on as he rubbed his temples. "And you say you are a ninja of Konacha?"

"Yes, with your permission, I can prove it. I was the apprentice of—" she caught herself, "one of the future Hokage's, and sometimes I would help her with paperwork."

Hiruzen waved at her to continue.

"There is a secrete compartment in the bottom of the third desk drawer. I think was originally used to store special scrolls, but the Hokage of my time just used it to hide—" she jerked, catching herself again, "…personal affects."

Hiruzen grew increasingly intrigued as the girl detailed various aspects of the village: the catacombs in the Hokage mountain that were originally built to house citizens in the event of an attack on the village, the secrete panel behind one of the bookshelves in the library that led to the jounin and ANBU restricted sections, and the selection process for academy graduates. It was when she started listing his students particular _quirks_, that he finally stopped her.

"It is not that I don't believe you just that you must understand the circumstances. We are in a war," he continued gravely, "and if you are a spy, the risk of allowing you to remain in the village could lead to dire consequences."

The girl—and suddenly it bothered him that he did not know her name—simply nodded in understanding.

"I would consent to a Yamanaka to search my most recent memories if that would ease your fears, but I must warn you not to dig too far," she cautioned, "To know the future is to curse the present and to ignite a fear that either you will change it—or that you won't. Certain things need to happen, good and bad, certain people need to be born while others have to die. This knowledge will only bring you harm. Search my mind as thoroughly as you need to satisfy your fears, but please search no farther beyond that."

The Hokage sighed. "Agreed." Then he asked a question that caught her off-guard, "What is your name?"

The young woman smiled, "My name is Sakura, Hokage-sama, but I don't believe I will be able to use my family name here."

"Very well, what name will you go by?"

"Just Sakura for now. If anyone presses, I can just say that for safety reasons, I can't use my family name."

"Hmm, I suppose that will do for the time being, but I encourage you to consider alternative names. People will begin to question your identity, jumping to conclusions and such, if you plan to stay here for any length of time. Sometimes a lie is easier to believe than the truth."

Sakura nodded her head in acquiescence. "I will think on it."

"Tonight you may stay at the refugee center, and I'll arrange for a Yamanaka to perform a _superficial_ mind-walk tomorrow to confirm your story. After that, we can discuss your rank and living situation and perhaps, how to find you another scroll."

Sakura stood and bowed gracefully. "Thank you Hokage-sama. I appreciate your understanding."

The Third nodded and watched as Sakura left with grace equal to the princess that she claimed she was not. As soon as the door closed behind her and her chakra signature faded, the Hokage of Konhongakure lit his pipe.

A figure emerged from the shadows to stand at his side. "Orders sir?"

Taking a long drag, the older man exhaled slowly, pausing to digest his thoughts and to savor the moment of calm. "Have someone tail her."

The ninja nodded in acquiescence before vanishing back into the shadows.

Alone again, the Hokage turned back to the papers on his desk: maps of the western front, reports on Kumo's troop movement, mission reports, lists of shinobi and kunoichi that had been killed, injured, or were otherwise missing. Despite this new complication that Sakura brought, he still had a war to finish, and as Kumo pressed forward in their last attempts for victory, they became more desperate and thus, more dangerous. A band had made it through the eastern front and had been attacking outlying villages hoping to either lower moral or to stretch out Konoha's troops. The attack on the temple had been the last in a string of incidents, and the great professor feared their next attack would be all the bolder.

The sudden appearance of a girl with unverified origins did nothing to ease his suspicions. Of course she would be watched; that was just protocol. The question was what would she do?

…

**A/N**: I'm going to try to minimize the amount of author's notes on the story so if you have any questions feel free to message me. I am more than happy reply to reviews and make any corrections (grammar or otherwise) anyone finds.

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As always, your reviews are my reason for writing stories like this so please give me a shout out even if it is only to say "nice fic."


	2. Leap Bravely, not Blindly

**Disclaimer**: If I owned Naruto, I would have made Sakura a kick-ass character from the beginning. Because she's a ninja and ninja are awesome.

…

**Fate's Allotter**: Part 1

**Chapter 2**: Leap Bravely not Blindly

…

_"The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it." - Thucydides_

.

The refugee center, while large, wasn't exactly the most comforting space she had been in. It was more or less an old warehouse filled with rows upon rows of cots pressed as close together as they could manage, and when that hadn't been enough, pillows and blankets were laid on the floor in what little space was available. Sakura was hardly impressed, but since she was given a hot meal and a spare blanket, she was hardly in a position worth complaining.

A few of the residents took one look at her appearance before offering her their cots or pillows, and Sakura, hiding her frustration, turned each offer down as politely as she could. She was a shinobi, she wanted to shout, not some court flower. It didn't help that a few of the children had taken to following her about, asking her, "Are you a princess? Do you live in a castle? Have you met the Daimyo?"

'_Why_,' the pinket cursed '_did I have to be sent back on the one day that I wasn't wearing my ninja gear?!_'

Finding a space on the floor next to an elderly couple, she bowed like a guest entering their home and asked their permission to sleep beside them. Instantly, they were scrambling to their feet, responding with bows of their own much to the young woman's chagrin.

"I'll just put my blanket here for now," she said, kneeling as she spread out the cloth. The old woman rushed to help her, and no matter how much Sakura insisted that she could handle it (_it was just a blanket for crying out loud!_), it was like arguing with a wall.

By the time she finished eating (another affair that involved much refusal of offerings), Sakura was quite fed up with the special treatment, and decided that for her own sanity, she had to leave the refugee center for a least a few hours or else she would end up ripping her hair out.

The children—a large hoard of them now—seemed adamant at following her out, and it didn't look as though any parents were going to be stepping forward to stop them. Spinning on her heal she addressed the herd of tiny humans just as she had seen her father address his entourage of penny pinchers.

"I will return shortly. Please keep an eye on my affairs and make sure they are well kept. When I return, I will reward your patience and appease your curiosity with stories of my adventures." Nodding her head, regally, she was pleased to find that none of the children chased after her, and she moved quickly before any of them could change their minds.

She wasn't really paying attention to where she was going nor did she have a particular destination in mind. '_Away_,' was her only thought '_Just somewhere away from this mess_.'

Her feet scrambled, unsure of where to take her. Not home, where they wouldn't recognize her; not to the hospital, where knowledge of her skill was unknown; not to the training grounds where she would scare some poor genin team. Not to the bridge or the ramen shop or anywhere else that was full of memories and people who wouldn't know her and would just make her want to cry—which she couldn't do, not in public at least.

She wandered a fair distance, turning here and there to avoid this site or that person. On and on, she walked, until the silence suddenly struck her. Lost in thought as she had been, she looked up and was surprised to see where her feet led her.

From the top of the Hokage monument, she could see the entire scope of the village. It is where she often found Naruto when he was having an especially trying day. Up here, people didn't yell at you and mother's didn't look down on you with disappointment; up here, the air was fresh and and clear. The smell of pine and the quietness of the forest seemed to sweep every negative thought away, leaving instead a quiet peace that rested inside one's soul.

But peace is not what she found. While the view was still spectacular and the atmosphere serene, the differences between her Konoha and this Konoha glared at her. And she felt small, an insignificant speck on top of a mountain. She was alone in this, and while it might have looked like her home, she had never felt farther from it in her entire life.

Settling on top of the First's head, she took off her wooden sandals and rubbed her sore feet, and tried not to think about the missing heads.

She had always related most to the First. He was a thinking ninja, like her, and had the foresight to fill the forests around the village with his special chakra trees. His trees drew chakra, a very slight amount, from the people, animals, and other life forms of Konoha and stored it for a time of need. When ninja left the village, they felt energized and their reserves were greater while enemies that chose to invade the village would feel tired and drained.

It was great foresight really. After nearly a hundred years of slowly sapping chakra, the trees returned it in a massive burst when the kyuubi attacked the village. The returned chakra strengthened the walls, shielded the villagers, and ultimately helped the Fourth power the seal that end the beast's path of destruction. She shuddered to think upon how much larger the massacre would have been if it hadn't been for the First's trees.

Likewise, Sakura was a thinker, a planner, and she always felt as though she thought best when she sat on the First's monument. As a child, she imagined that his cleverness could seep through the earth and up to her, but even if that wasn't the case, she comforted herself with the knowledge that cleverness and forethought were just as valuable in the ninja world as dojutsu and brute strength.

In those early days when she had felt weak and pathetic and more akin to a damsel in distress than an actual ninja, she came up to the monument and quieted her fears. She wasn't the first shinobi to come from a civilian family, and if others could make it through the trials, than so could she.

So few people came up here that over the years she had begun to think of it as her spot, her private escape from the world where no one was watching. In the stillness of the woods and without the constant presence of people bowing to her as though she were royalty, she let the truths of the day sink in, and for the first time since she realized what had happened, she gave into that crippling despair and cried.

She had never been so far from home before. Even when she was on mission to distant lands like Iron or Cloud, her Konoha had always been a place she could return to—never was it this impossibly out of reach. Her whole life was gone; she couldn't even use her own _name_ for fear of the repercussions. She had no job, no money, and she didn't even know for sure if her parents were dead or not. Had they traveled with her? Had her cousin? Were they really killed or was that just refugees? If she returned to the future, would they be there? Would she even be able to get to the right time? Would she ever see _her_ Konoha again?

.

"_Ne Sakura-chan, do you remember the last time we came up here?"_

_She shifted turning to look at him, and noted how the moonlight seemed to soften his sharp fox-like features. "Hai," she said softly, "the stars were pretty then too."_

"_Yeah," Naruto said laying down beside her, "the stars are always the same no matter where you are. I used to look at them when I was traveling with Jiraiya—mostly because we had to sleep outside since ero-sanin never bothered brining a tent. But sometimes, when I was missing home, I would just look at them and tell myself that they were the same stars over Konocha, and all the people I cared about were looking at them too. It made me feel a little less homesick ya know?_

"_But then when I got back, the first thing I did was climb something tall so I could look around the village. Everything was so different, and I felt as though somehow I had been left behind."_

_Sakura snorted, "Are you kidding me! The rest of us are just trying to keep up."_

_Naruto smiled, wistful. "Ano, it was more like the realizing the world kept going without me, and I missed being a part of it."_

"_Ah," she murmured softly, "that's what I was always afraid of, that everyone, you, Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei, and all the rest, would just grow up without me. And I worked so hard to keep up, to be called a shinobi like the rest of you, but then when you came back, it suddenly hit me that you weren't going anywhere. I mean, we all may be running in different directions, but we are all running together, yeah?"_

_They smiled looking at each other. Blue and green, blond and pink, Uzumaki and Haruno. Equal and opposite, like yin and yang, one flowing into the other, ending where the other began so that the weaknesses of one became the strengths of the other._

"_Sakura-chan, you won't get left behind. Believe it!"_

"_Neither will you." The wind slid through her hair and softly brushing against her neck._

_The moment was intense, more so than was usual between their easy friendship. For a moment, Sakura wondered if that would change with time as well. Would they always be that steady presence to the other, an unwavering, unquestioning friendship? She couldn't imagine her life without him, and yet, she couldn't imagine them as anything different. Would they change? Could they?_

_Then his stomach growled, low and agitated, effectively breaking the mood. She laughed because that was _so_ Naruto, constant as the tides, and because some things would never change. He rubbed the back of his head looking embarrassed._

_Rising to his feet, he offered her is hand. "Want to get some ramen?"_

_She must have been feeling particularly nostalgic because she took his hand without the slightest hesitation. "I'd love to."_

_Then she elbowed him in the ribs, "But this isn't a date! And your paying since you and Kakashi-sensei stuck me with the bill last time."_

"_But Sakura-chaaaan!"_

_Life was a dance of change, but just because the world was altering its face, it didn't mean they had to. But she didn't let go of his hand this time, for once holding onto it. He looked at her surprised, but she was blushing and busy pretending not to notice. _

_It was that intense feeling again; things, unspoken things, that threatened to swallow them up. She could let it too. How easy would it be to tell him, right now, before he got distracted again… but Sakura had always been hesitant about these kinds of things. And even though he was staring at her with a look that he only reserved for her, she couldn't shake the feeling that he really had changed, in more ways than she could see._

"_C'mon," she tugged on their joined hands, "you're hungry right?"_

"_Y-yeah."_

_._

Eventually, her tears slowed even as the ache in her chest remained. '_One day_,' she swore, '_I will see my Konoha again. Even if I have to be old and wrinkly to get there, I'm going to see Naruto's face on this mountain. Believe it!_'

As she wiped away the residual salt from her eyes, she became aware of a presence behind her. It was achingly familiar, and Sakura almost turned around and called out to him before mentally slapping herself. That was not _her_ Kakashi-sensei. Although his charka core was familiar, it was smaller than she recalled ever seeing it, and even from this distance, she could sense that it was centered in his naval like a child's would be rather than his chest like an adult's. Plus the slight flare that was periodically emitted from his left eye was noticeably absent. No, this definitely wasn't her Kakashi and calling him "sensei" as per her habit would only lead to trouble.

Scooping up her shoes, she rose to her feet, enjoying the feel of grass under her toes. The breeze in her face calmed her nerves and helped her slide that mask of tranquility back on her face.

Chibi-Kakashi's presence left her restless and off-balanced, and left her itching to do something reckless. Like jump off the mountain.

In fact, she decided, that wasn't such a bad idea. She could use a wind jutsu to slow her fall and then shunpo a short distance away once she landed. It was the perfect strategy for loosing a tail, and considering this was Kakashi—the man who evaded Gai on a regular basis and the self-proclaimed master at hide and seek—Sakura didn't feel comfortable with anything other than all-out evasion to escape his presence.

Perhaps tomorrow, she could convince the Hokage to give her a different 'tail' during her observation period. Preferably, one that was a little less familiar.

Backing up a few steps, she glanced at the "hiding place" of the genin team and waved cheerfully. "I'll see you later!"

Then, lifting her kimono, she took a few quick steps, a leap, and _woosh_, she was airborne. Twisting in midair, she caught sight of the trio on the ledge of the First's head. Chibi-Kakashi, a rather non-descript looking girl, and, huh, '_huh, I didn't know they made chubby Uchihas_.'

.

"And then she just jumped over the cliff!" Obito shouted at his sensei with great fanfare and exaggerated arm movements.

"Yeah, and Obito almost jumped after her," the young Kakashi deadpanned.

Blue eyes blinked at his team of genin. "She jumped over the cliff?" Minato repeated incredulous.

"She teleported away before she hit the ground, and we lost track of her," Obito threw in as he glared at his teammate, "But if _someone_ would have let me use my super-substitution jutsu we wouldn't have lost her."

"That's not a real jutsu," Kakashi threw back, "last time you tried that, a tree exploded."

"How was I supposed to know it was a charka tree?"

"You really are a worthless Uchiha if you can't even tell the difference—"

"Where's Rin," Minato cut in hoping to prevent another shouting match.

"Ah," Obito rubbed his head sheepishly, "She went to the refugee center to see if the target went back there. The bastard and I looked through the city for an hour, and when we couldn't find her, we thought we'd ask you. Rin-chan said she page us if the princess came back."

"I don't think she's a princess," Kakashi countered, "They don't teach shunpo at the royal academy."

And just like that, they were back at each other's throats. Minato resisted the urge to sigh. At this rate, he'd be stuck playing babysitter until he was old and grey—and even then he was willing to bet that Kakashi would still be pushing the envelope and Obito would still be jumping into every fight with as much tact as a rapid dog.

Minato ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. Be a sensei, they said; it will be good for you they said.

.

Sakura deliberately made eye contact with the genin hiding in the rafters as she entered the refugee center (because really, no one should be that obvious when spying on someone).

She had just spent the last few hours at the library pretending that the Hokage had given her a special pass to the jounin section and that she hadn't already known how to access the archives. It actually took a considerable amount of effort for her to wander about as though she had no idea what she was looking for or _where_ any of the information about sealing, teleportation, or time-related jutsu might be. She just _happened_ to stumble upon it and found those scrolls of interest from an "academic" perspective. Because _of course_ she had _never_ heard of the art of sealing before.

It really was unfortunate that she had been the one sent back. Naruto, Kakashi, and probably even Sasuke were much better at sealing than she was. She was proficient, of course, having mastered all the basics taught at the academy, but she was by no means an expert. Just because she figured out how to avoid blowing herself up when she wanted to make an exploding tag did not qualify her to make a time transportation jutsu.

In fact, when she started skimming some of the scrolls she had picked out, she began to wonder if it would simply have been easier for her to leave the village and scour the globe for rumors of ancient time scrolls. Tempting as it sounded, better ninja than her had dedicated lifetimes to that very task and were no more successful than she imagined she could be.

But she was determined. One way or another, she was going to go back home.

Walking back to her mat, she was disappointed to find it covered in children. It was not that she didn't enjoy kids, just that such a crowd was a bit overwhelming.

Especially when one spotted her and they began cheering, "Princess-sama!"

The reaction was instantaneous, and she was surrounded before she could half-heartedly mutter, "I'm not a princess…"

The kids were ablaze with questions. Where did you go? What did you do? Did you meet a prince? You promised us a story? What are all the scrolls for? Are you going to build a castle here? Have you ever seen a dragon?

"Alright, settle down everyone," she hollered over the babbling voices. Obediently, they settled around her as she sat on the mat, mindful to tuck her legs so her kimono wouldn't crease.

"Okay, how about we start with introductions. I'll go first. My name is Sakura, and no, I am not a princess or anything, but I'll you my story later after we finish introducing ourselves." She smiled and nodded at the boy closest to her.

The short sandy-haired boy puffed out his chest and nearly shouted his name in his excitement. "My name is Orin and I'm going to be a super-ninja one day! Yeah!" He fist pumped for emphasis as the rest of the group sweat dropped.

"Okay," Sakura said trying to hold in a laugh, "How about you?" She pointed to the girl beside him.

"I'm Kimi" said a tiny girl with golden hair and bright green eyes, "and I want to be a nurse."

"Ooh!" chimed in another girl seated behind her, "me too! I'm Mimi, and I'm going to be the best healer ever! Yeah, so remember my name!"

And so it continued.

"I'm Odon, and I'm going to be a blacksmith like my dad."

"I'm Keli, and I want to go home to my parents farm. I miss my goat Sampson."

"I'm Rori and this is my little brother Dale." Dale shoved his twin. "You're the little one!"

"I'm Moro"

"Sota"

"Isma"

"I'm Itachi," a quiet looking boy said, "and I'm going to be a ninja."

Sakura was so startled by his introduction, that she missed the last few names completely. Studing the reserved boy, there was no doubt he was Itachi. He looked almost exactly as Sasuke had at that age, yet Sakura struggled to match the polite looking kid with the man who had massacred his clan. Perhaps the most surprising feature was the notable absence of the scars across his cheeks (or were they stress marks? She had never been sure) and the open curiosity apparent on his face—quite unlike, the cold, disdainful look she was familiar with, as though your existence was beneath his notice.

This Itachi looked like a boy, just a normal boy. For a moment, she wondered what events could have possibly twisted him to become the monster he did. And where… did he get that scar?

"Well, Sakura-sama, are you going to tell us your story or not?"

Shaking herself from her thoughts, the pinket focused on the larger group. "Alright then."

"A long time ago, a demon came to my village. The monster was huge, larger than our biggest houses and twice as fierce. When he came, the whole land shook with his steps, and many of our animals ran away in fear. Then, his voice boomed like thunder, '**WHO AMONG YOU IS BRAVE? GIVE ME A CHALLANGER. IF YOU CAN FIND ONE AMONG YOU WHO IS NOT AFRAID, I WILL LEAVE YOU, BUT IF YOU CANNOT, I WILL EAT YOUR HEARTS AND LICK THE FLESH FROM YOUR BONES.**'

"We were all terrified. None of us wanted to face the monster, none of us were brave. Except for one. There was a boy in my village who had no parents and had to live off the scraps of others. Because of this, many called him worthless and a waste of food.

"But he was not afraid. He alone stood up to the demon and said, 'I will challenge you. I am not afraid.'

"The demon laughed at the boy, licking his lips in anticipation of a hearty meal as the rest of us cowered and trembled. '**VERY WELL TINY NINGEN, I WILL CHALLENGE YOU. TO SAVE THIS VILLAGE YOU MUST WALK THROUGH THE BLACK FOREST AND BRING BACK THE MIDNIGHT BOIBOI FLOWER. IF YOU DO NOT RETURN BY THE THIRD DAY, MY FEAST WILL BEGIN**.' He then wrapped his massive body around the village so none of us could escape as we waited for the boy's return."

The children around her were completely absorbed in her story, even the little Uchiha. All kids liked adventure stories, especially if they involved demons or dragons. So what if she threw in a twist to Naruto's back-story, these kids wouldn't know any better.

"The first day passed in silence as we waited and prayed. By the end of the second day, we began to grow fearful and many muttered amongst themselves. On the sunset of the third day, the demon rose from his place and smirked at us wickedly. '**THE TIME HAS COME AND YOUR CHAMPION HAS FAILED.**'

"But just as the beast was about to sink his jaws into the nearest body, the boy came bursting into the village running at full speed. He stood in front of the giant demon, holding out a beautiful blue flower. 'I have walked through the black forest, and the creatures of dark did not harm me as I was not afraid. They tried to trick me and hold me down, but I overthrew them and found the midnight BioBio. I have returned here before the sun finished setting, and now you must leave this place.

"The people cheered at the boy calling him a Spinner while the demon sulked. '**VERY WELL LITTLE NINGEN, I SHALL LEAVE, BUT IF THE FEARLESS EVER LEAVE THIS PLACE, I WILL RETURN TO EAT MY FILL**.'

"For many years, we celebrated the day we were freed from the demon's yearning. Eventually, the boy who had no fear grew up and got married. When his son got older, he set out to explore the world, for he was brave as well. The son was gone for a long time, and while he was away, the man who had no fear became grossly ill and died.  
"Fearing the return of the demon, many people from my village set out to find his son who was said to be brave. My father and I came to Fire country, but we were ambushed by Kumo ninja. The Konoha ninja rescued me, but it was too late for the others." She continued sadly.

"But I'm not giving up," she said with determination. "I will learn to be fearless so I can find a way to get back home."

After a beat of silence, the kids jumped to their feet and started making declarations. "I'm brave Sakura-sama! I'll protect you!"

"Demon-san sounds scary."

"I'm not afraid of a demon. They're all spouts and no horns."

Itachi said nothing, taking in everything with a calculating look as though he was weighing Sakura on a scale and was still trying to decide which side she fell on.

Kimi tugged on he hem of her sleeve, her green eyes shimmering. "I believe in you Sakura-sama."

Sakura smiled at her softly, "Thank you Kimi-chan."

.

_The day after she had found out about Sasuke's desertion, she woke up early and quietly left her parent's house. The sun had yet to peak over the mountains, but Sakura paid no mind to the dull-grey light or the early hour as she made her way to training grounds 3. _

_She had passed this training area before on her way to the bridge and had noticed the peculiar looking obstacle course. Usually there was a team practicing on it, trying to build up their stamina or to work on their speed, but now the training grounds were silent and the course was empty. Sakura had never used it before, but that morning her feet led her to the starting position and she stared at the course in quite contemplation._

"_I can't do this anymore." She said suddenly. "I can't hide behind my teammates. I can't let bad things happen just because I'm not strong enough to stop them. I have to get stronger, I can't afford to play ninja anymore."_

_With a burst of speed, she took off running. First she climbed the vertical wall before vaulting over the barrels and dodging the rotating turbine of the windmill. Flipping over a haystack, she threw three kunai and flung them at a target. One nicked the edge before bouncing off, the second was off center, but the third was a dead bull's-eye. _

_Her arms began to burn as the crossed the monkey bars and climbed the rope to ring the bell. She was so close. Her hands were burning, her palms felt raw and tender, her left knee was bleeding, and her chest felt like it was going to rip out with every breath she took. It hurt, everything hurt, but the bell was just out of reach._

"_No weakness," she grunted giving it one final push. Fingers stretching, they finally hit the cool metal. _Thwang! _No more waking up on benches, no more waiting for someone else to protect her. She was a ninja damn it, and it was high time she started acting like one._

.

Sakura wondered what it said about her life that a tale of demons giving villages tests of courage was more believable than her real story.

She didn't really have much time to ponder it though before some idiot dropped from the ceiling. He very nearly crushed Itachi, and if it hadn't been for the Uchiha's quick reflexes, her future would have had one less missing nin. Shame that.

But back to the idiot, "Don't worry Princess-san, I'll rescue you from the fearful demon!"

Oh lord, it was the same genin team that had been stalking her at the monument. Sakura felt like banging her head against the wall. Hadn't ditching them the first time sent a loud enough message that she wasn't going to let a bunch of baby ninja follow her around? Surely they weren't so stupid as to not report her disappearance to their sensei at least.

As she began a quick chakra search for the jounin, a second genin appeared beside the loudmouth and smacked him upside the head. "Idiot, we are not supposed to introduce ourselves to the target," Kakashi snapped at his teammate.

It was weird seeing Kakashi with his hayate on straight and with two normal eyes. Even weirder was to see an Uchiha that looked so… Bland? Forgettable? Kinda like an ugly Naruto with a crooked nose or something. He was definitely missing that dark kind of beauty that was usually seen in the Uchiha clan. Fact is, if she hadn't seen that tiny fan on his sleeve, Sakura would have never pegged this kid as being even remotely related to Sasuke or Itachi—they just weren't even in the same ballpark.

"Did you learn anything in the academy or did sensei give you a pity-pass since your face was so ugly?" Sakura blinked in surprise. She had never pegged Kakashi for the bully type—although his tone was as bored as ever, so maybe he was just trying to rile the other boy up? It was certainly drawing the attention of the residents in the refugee center.

"Why you!" The Uchiha lunged, slamming Kakashi into the nearest cot.

The elderly couple yelped as the older man barely dodged the two teens. Geez, it was Naruto and Sasuke all over again, causing fights and not paying the slightest attention to their surroundings.

Looking around, Sakura took in the mixed reactions of the refugees: agitation, amusement, and… fear.

Were the boys truly that oblivious to the effect they had on civilians? Especially here of all places? That headband carried a weight to it, declaring to the world exactly what they could do—how they could kill everyone in this room in minutes if the whim struck them. Did they truly not understand what they looked like to the rest of the world?

"Sakura-sama," Mimi pleaded as the rest of the children (sans Itachi and Orin) hid behind her, "can you make them leave? They're messing up all the mats…"

The brawl, for there was no other word to describe it, _was_ disturbing the sleeping area and the older couple, whose cot the boys were currently making a mess of, looked as though they were about to have a heart attack. Sakura sighed. It just must be her lot in life to deal with idiotic boys who had rivalry issues. Putting two fingers in her mouth, she whistled as loud as she could.

The entire room went silent in an instant and the two hot heads froze mid swing.

"This is a refugee center you knuckleheads! Does it look like these people need idiots trampling over what little belongings they have?!"

"_This is a hospital! If I wanted clowns and buffoons I would have hired a circus crew. So either get out of the way or go bother someone else. I have patient dying you dumbasses! What is wrong with you?!"_

"GET. OUT."

The dark-haired boy scrambled to his feet while Kakashi practically teleported away.

"Honestly," she muttered angrily as she helped right a cot that had been toppled over, "those monkey-brained morons where did they think they were? It's true that too much testosterone messes with the brain… ah, hello?"

It was the girl that had been watching her from the rafters. "Gomen! My teammates are hard to handle. Please don't think bad of us!" She bowed and suddenly Sakura was the one feeling embarrassed. Maybe she overdid it a bit, after all, she remembered what it was like having Naruto and Sasuke perpetually at each others' throats.

The kunochi's reaction though put her in a tough situation. If Sakura was forthcoming in her criticism, she would only further embarrass the young girl who was honor bound to defend her teammates. If the genin didn't defend them, that meant that she was prepared to condemn them, and by extent the village they represented, and that kind of violation in loyalty was inexcusable.

This put Sakura in a delicate dilemma She couldn't assert that the boys had not acted wrongly without casting doubt on her own good judgement, yet she couldn't openly berate them since that would only give the impression of a lack of consideration for the genin's feelings (and in turn, respect for the village). How, then, to respond? How to speak the truth-or something that could be heard as not denying the truth-without exacerbating an already sensitive situation?

Instead of addressing the genin girl directly, she turned to Mimi, "Boys are stupid eh?"

And just like that, the tension in the room relaxed considerably. By calling them boys and not ninja, she turned them into a nuisance rather than a threat, and by addressing Mimi, she had deflected the blame of their destruction to their own stupidity rather than their teammate's failure to control the situation. It was a "kids will be kids" problem rather than a ninja problem.

And her mother thought she had no political swagger. Pshh! Sakura mentally high-fived herself for being awesome.

"Ne, ninja-san what is your name?" she asked the short brunet.

"Rin, Nohara Rin."

"Well, Rin-chan, let's go have a talk with your errant teammates and see if we can beat the nonsense out of them."

…

**A/N:** I just want to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited, or followed my story. You guys are the best, and I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I liked writing it.

Quick poll: Would you guys prefer longer chapters or faster updates?


	3. Masks

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto, I would have made Naruto put his own face on the Hokage monument as one of his pranks. Then for the rest of his life he could argue that they _had_ to make him the Hokage since his face is already up there.

…

**Fate's Allotter: Part 1**

**Chapter 3: Masks**

.

_You can learn more from the masks people wear  
__than the faces they hide.  
__Who they want to be—  
__heroic and fearless or gentle and kind  
__A mask says more about their true nature  
__than their "face" could ever define_

.

"Are these your genin?" she asked the masked man. Why the ANBU was still wearing his mask while inside the village was beyond her. Maybe he was a coward and didn't want her to be able to hunt him down later.

"Ah, no, they belong to Namizake-san. He, er, has a shift on perimeter detail, yeah. I'm just filling in until he can come back."

Sakura nodded biting back her irritation. Yet another absentee sensei—no, she shouldn't think like that; this was wartime and he did have a more reasonable excuse than "getting lost on the road of life." Still, he was still getting an earful when she found him.

Perhaps, if she hadn't been so distracted by her own internal monologue, Sakura would have noticed how Kakashi and Rin both shot looks at the masked ANBU—Kakashi in irritation, Rin in resignation. She didn't realize how furious she must have looked as her kimono whipped around her or how a certain man had a tendency to avoid women in general (_especially_ the dangerous looking ones).

But Sakura didn't catch the subtle hints from the young ninja or take note of the ANBU's stuttering, but her negligence would be something she would come to regret as time passed. It was the first mistake of many, slight though it was, but fate doesn't always require large, sudden events, but rather small ones that built over time. This is where it started, truly, the path she could not walk back down again.

But yet, this first mistake was small, and entirely forgivable considering her concentration was quite occupied as the last member of the team shouted in her ear.

"We aren't genin!" announced the ugly Uchiha—Obito right?—with a tone of absolute insult.

Quirking her eyebrow, Sakura looked at the masked man for an explanation. It was a surprise, considering their age, to have been advanced so quickly. Especially given the obvious lack in emotional maturity (Why the shouting? Why?! She could hear him already!)

"It's the times of war," clarified the masked man, "We need more chunin and jounin so everyone tends to advance more quickly."

She nodded in acceptance. After all, it was during the fourth shinobi war that she and many of her friends had been promoted to jounin "because they were ready" rather than by passing the traditional exam. They had been ready, _she_ had been ready, but to see the opposite end of it with _genin_ being advanced so quickly made her truly appreciate how dire the circumstances actually were. There wasn't time for them to come into their own or find their ninja way—soldiers, not children, were needed.

"Well since your sensei is otherwise indisposed, I will give the lecture for him," Sakura cracked her knuckles as she glared at the three genin. Then, mustering her most intimidating expression, she tore into them. "You _failed_. Completely and utterly, but you did more than just fail your mission, you have failed to recognize the extent of the damage you have caused."

Better to learn the lesson now from her than later from an enemy. "First, you underestimated an opponent. Just because someone looks like a civilian doesn't mean that they are one. I would have to be dense, deaf, and dumb to miss all the racket you were making in the woods. Then you just stood there when I fell off the cliff. What if I was holding critical information—those secretes would have been lost if you had let me die."

The masked man was giving her a funny look so she quickly added, "Be glad this was just a training exercise because next time someone's life may be on the line, maybe your life, maybe the whole village, and you have to know how to make the right decision.

"This isn't a game. When you wear that headband, you represent Konoha, our strengths, our weakness, our character. You carry us all with you, and your actions reflect on all of us."

She crossed her arms in a very Kakashi-like manner. "Now, I'm going to give you another chance. I have bunshin scattered throughout the village, some in disguise, some hiding, some beneath a genjutus. You have until my meeting with the Hokage to figure out where the real one is."

It was actually a common training technique for prospective jounin, a sort of testing the waters so to speak. Unfortunately for the three nervous chunin, Sakura hadn't made any clones. She doubted the prepubescents had looked underneath the underneath, and as the trio scattered, she wondered which brilliant mind would figure it out first.

'_Take that Kakashi-sensei_,' she thought in satisfaction.

The masked ANBU was laughing beside her. "I _have_ to buy you a drink, " he said after he slowly regained his composure, "Those three have been needing a strong lecture and a stiff reminder of what being a ninja means."

"What do you saying?" the girl asked, "Are they not really chunin?"

"Ah, no they are certainly chunin in skill, but that team is so off-balanced and out of sync, it is a wonder they haven't failed any missions before now."

Sakura curtsied then with a mischievous smile, "Then it twas the greatest honor of this most humble maiden to deliver my services such lost souls."

The man laughed again, and Sakura once more wondered why he kept his mask on inside the village—or his hood up for that matter. She caught herself trying to peak under it before immediately glancing away with a blush. It's just that his laugh had been so familiar, like a glimpse of home. It had reminded her of Naruto.

_Home_. Suddenly there was a sharp pain in her chest and all she wanted to do was be alone. Fearing that her emotions would be clearly visible, she quickly bowed, letting her hair roll over her shoulder and hiding her face.

"Gomen ANBU-san, but I think I need some quiet tonight. The day has been hard enough." Her voice was soft, but the rough edge to it was hard to conceal.

Irritated at her slip up, she quickly straightened, slapping on a forced smile. When the masked man just stood there watching her with some kind of pity, her self-directed agitation only increased. She didn't want pity. It wouldn't help her solve her problems.

"Ah, well," she said in an attempt to end the silence, "we'll have to do drinks some other time, yeah?"

He still wasn't saying anything, and it only made her more uncomfortably self-conscious. Especially when he kept looking at her like that, as though he had been there and understood what she meant.

"Yeah," she stumbled over her words, "so, er, don't forget." Beating a quick retreat, she hurried back to refugee center and ducked inside without a glance back.

'_Stupid, stupid, stupid_,' she mentally berated herself, '_How could I have lost control like that?_'

.

Sakura had strange dreams that night. Flashes that didn't quite add up.

.

"_What do you want!? What does an old geezer like you wanna do with a boy!?"  
_"_I want to change the fate of this world. A world of winners. A world of peace. A world of love. I'll make a world just like that."_

_._

"_Who is the third Uchiha survivor? The other sharingan user that you told me about?"  
_

"_Why do you want to know about him?"  
_

"_Because he's next on my list after I kill you. That's why."  
_

"You?_ Kill him?"_

_._

"_It's because you let Rin die."_

_._

"_It's pointless to blame this useless reality. I'm not interested in this world since it's going to disappear."_

_._

"_No matter what I do, no matter how many worlds I create, __**why**__ can't I keep one girl alive?"  
_

"_Perhaps you are going about this wrong. It's not about creating a reality in which she is alive, but creating a _circumstance_ in which she _stays_ alive."_

_._

"_Even if you succeed, someone like you will never have someone like her."_

"_I don't care. She is staying alive this time. This plan will work."_

"_You're bending more than just one reality for this paradox. Your body won't be able to sustain it."_

"_You don't get it. There are no other options, no other avenues. This is my only choice left, and if I have to destroy this universe fiber by fiber so that in one existence, just one, she can live without…"_

.

Sakura woke up to the sound of heavy breathing, sunlight, and the distinct smell of children (cookies and dirt). Sitting up carefully, she took note of the crowd of small bodies that surrounded her and a small smile appeared as she noted some of their creative sleeping positions. Only kids could get away with that.

"Sleep well?"

Sakura turned to address the old woman who had so generously permitted her bungalow to crowd into her sleeping area.

"As well as one could I suppose," the pinket replied shyly.

"I'm afraid we weren't introduced properly yesterday. My name is Bei Kanya."

"Nice to meet you Kanya-san. My name is Sakura, and thank you again for putting up with this… invasion."

Kanya's wrinkles stretched into a warm smile, "They seem quite taken with you."

Sakura watched their chests rise in fall as the children dreamed. "Their parents," she murmured, "must be worried…"

The elder's expression shifted to one of grief. "This lot are orphans. Their parents went with the war."

Sakura grimaced at her mistake, but before she could delve too deeply into that tender wound, a warm hand rested on her shoulder.

"Come, let us get breakfast."

Sakura smiled, "Thanks, but I have a few errands to run before they wake up."

Kanya nodded in understanding. "The clothing shop on 3rd street has been kind to our situation. Perhaps you may go there?"

The pinket smiled sadly before nodding. It was no secret that she only came with the clothes on her back and little else. She would probably have to sell her kimono. Pity, yes, but necessity overrides family heirlooms.

The morning air was still as she left the refugee center, and seeing as no one else was around, baby-chunin or otherwise, she took off her uncomfortable wooden sandals and made her way to the shopping district. There was nothing wrong with selling her kimono so she could wear a decent pair of shoes and have more than one shirt, but just because she had to bargain with a tailor did not mean she had to do it when the streets were bustling with people. Perhaps it was the ninja in her that sought discretion. Perhaps it was the woman in her that simply wanted to avoid embarrassment.

When Sakura arrived at the store on 3rd street, she was more than pleased to find that she was the only customer as the tailor, who had been organizing a stack of folded shirts, jumped to attention.

"Ah! Hellos miss! Welcome to kunai and thread, best clothes on this side of the fire land. What can I do for you?"

Speaking in low tone, she quickly explained her situation. In her head, she was calculating the rate of inflation over the years and how much a fair price or trade for the kimono would be—and the wooden sandals. Those she would have gladly given away for free had she not been in such a desperate situation.

The tailor wanted to inspect the cloth, and offered Sakura some clothes to change into. They were alright as far as civilian standards, but she would have preferred silk and the slight protection it offered from sharp blades—no, she couldn't think of things like that. Yes, these would do fine. Maybe later when she had an income she could come back and revisit the ninja section of the store. Or repurchase her family's kimono.

She was handed a few more outfits to try on while the tailor inspected the kimono with a critical eye. She kept readjusting the kunai strapped to her thigh so that it wouldn't be obvious with her outfit, and it took her a bit longer than it might have normally to try on the different outfits. As she was lacing up a pair of sturdy boots, the bell to the shop door rang.

"Hellos and welcome to kunai and thread, best clothes on this side of the fire land!"

It felt as though her heart stopped. What if it was one of the children? What if they thought her destitute and told the other refugees? She couldn't have them giving her anything else, pressed as they already were. That wouldn't be right.

But after a few quiet murmurings with the tailor, the door clanged again and the mysterious person was gone. Ha, maybe it was one of the chunin chasing her. Wouldn't that be funny to see them looking high and low for her traces of her blue kimono only to find that she had sold it.

Thus encouraged, Sakura stepped out from behind the curtain. Three outfits, several socks, and a pair of high quality boots was more than generous for the kimono, and she readily agreed to the offer. Before she stepped out of the store though, the tailor called her back and handed her a heavy gold coin.

"So you don't have to sell your hairpiece," he said patting her hand, "It looks fine where it is."

She felt her eyes sting as she resisted the urge to fling her arms around him. It wasn't even that pretty as far as jewelry goes, just small bells that jiggled when she turned her head. It had been a gift from her father when she was a child, yet it was more than family sentimentality. It was part of her old world, part of her home.

"Thank you," she bowed deeply, "Thank you so very much!"

Then before she broke down and really started crying, she ran from the shop, the tinkling of her hair ornament suddenly very loud to her ears. The hairpiece, the kimono, and the kunai strapped to her thigh were all that she had left. Losing one, necessary as it was, had been hard enough.

As she hurried down the street, she didn't see the set of eyes that followed her, nor the hand that snagged an excited Obito who had been planning to leap in front of her and publically (loudly) announce his victory.

"But sensei," the boy whined, "I almost had her."

"Keep an eye on her, but let her have some space," the blonde jounin said.

"Why is she sick?"

Minato ruffled his student's hair affectionately, quietly pleased that despite the war his students' innocence had not yet been lost. "Something like that."

.

Hiruzen was not by any means an idle man. It took a considerable amount of effort, more than most realized, to keep the basic needs of the village met not to mention providing for the ever-increasing number of refugees that continuously trickled in. He also had to coordinate a successful war strategy that minimized the loss of life and damage to the civilian populations. He had to be meticulous in his observations of his opponent yet still able to react instantaneously the moment a single component changed. He had to be a strategist, a leader, a provider, a devious mastermind, and a courageous hero that wore the mantle of both justice and generosity. All from behind his desk.

The third Hokage eyed the detailed map that laid across his desk like a shrewd shogi master as he took in his opponents strengths, the weak points in his defense, and calculated what measures needed to be taken.

Iwagakure kage was sending larger and larger portions of his specialized forces across the river into Kusagakure. An aggressive move, and if properly organized, they could use the momentum to take the mountain fort where they would gain the high ground. Then, Konoha shinobi would be hard pressed to dig the Iwa nin out of their fortifications, and the war would undoubtedly drag out through the winter, perhaps even longer, resulting in more casualties and pointless destruction.

But only _if_ they took the fort. Scribbling a quick note to the ANBU captains still stationed within the village, the Third resolved to send his own reinforcements. Quietly.

Of course, a better strategy would be to cut off the snake's head, so to speak, destroy the critical points in the supply line, perhaps some of the bridges. Naturally, the Iwa shinobi would recognize this weak spot as well and would ensure that it was properly protected. He couldn't send a large team, no, that would certainly draw too much attention, but perhaps he could send a group of the more well-known shinobi out as a feign, draw the enemy away, then send in a small stealth team of unknowns that wouldn't draw any particular attention. He leaned back deep in thought.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts

Slipping the more classified documents into a drawer, he called, "Enter."

A gruff looking man entered the small office looking about it as though it was already his own.

"Danzo-sama," said the third with carefully dosed civility, "to what do I owe this visit?"

The tall man crossed his arms as though merely being in the presence of the hokage disturbed him. "I have received word, Hokage-sama, from the sages that there has been a disturbance of sorts."

"I see, and what matter concerns the esteemed fire gazers?"

Danzo frowned at the Hokage's dismissive tone. "As you are aware, from each generation comes the Kami's triad, the Fate's. The Spinner, the Allotter, and the Enforcer. Together, they bring about the will of fate, and yet there can be only three—should the next generation's Spinner be born, the current one will die, so that balance is kept."

"Quite so," replied the Third, "The Spinner, who determined the fate of that generation, the Prophet or Allotter, who could foresee the threads of fate, and the Enforcer who punished those who tried to evade their fate or to change it. Yes, I remember—it is after all where our traditional three-man cells came from."

The three-man cell used to group genin teams was indeed a suiting an example of the balanced triad. There was the "Spinner," traditionally a male, who was generally considered the leader (either subtly or obviously) of the group and decided _how_ the mission (or fate's mission in the case of the Fates) was to be accomplished. The Enforcer sometimes stood in contrast to the Spinner, a rival in many ways to the Spinner's leadership. The Enforcer was also typically male, and while his goals were ultimately the same as the Spinner's, they differed in perspective and means to an end.

The girl, of course, typically filled the role as the Allotter, balancing the other two's agendas. Being generally more mature than the other two, she often filled in as the voice of reason and prevented an otherwise friendly rivalry from drifting into darker, more aggressive territories.

Strength of heart, strength of body, and strength of mind—the circle was continuous and smooth, each end making up for the others' weaknesses. Strong and balanced.

Oh yes, Hiruzen knew quite well the significance of the three Fates and the history behind the three-man squads. It was why he took great care when selecting genin teams. After all, even as adults, no ninja forgot their first squad, and rare was the teammate on mission who was easier to work with than one's own old teammate.

Maybe that is why, mused the Hokage from behind his desk, that Danzo, young though he was, seemed so unable to get along with his age-mates. He had lost his balance.

The bandaged man appeared frustrated as though the entire conversation was an increasing waste of his time, but gritting his teeth, he persisted. "Among their other tasks, the sages keep track of the balance of the triad and discovering who and where the new Spinner or Allotter is, but they have noticed an… irregularity in the pattern.

"The Enforcer, who has not been replaced for nearly a hundred years, has died, and the fire sages have been searching ever since to find his successor."

"Let me guess," Hiruzen said with a sigh, "the next Enforcer has been born in Konoha?"

The bandaged man uncrossed his arms and very deliberately looked out the Hokage's window where a lovely view of the village could be appreciated, but somehow, the Third knew that the village Danzo saw was not the same village that he himself saw. Weakness, imperfection—it was hard to say exactly what drove Danzo these days.

After a long moment of contemplation, the bandaged man voiced his thoughts. "We have long known that the Spinner and the Allotter, are currently within Konoha, oblivious to their tasks as they may be. We have assumed that their dual presence signified some major event at which Konoha would be the center. I worry Hokage-sama what this war will mean for us, what terrible things are to come."

Finally, Danzo looked back at the man sitting behind the Hokage's desk. His eyes were cloudy and distant, yet his expression was carefully blank and unreadable. "The Enforcer has not been replaced. The fire sages say that the successor has been… _displaced_ somehow. To another time or a different reality—either way, he cannot be traced.

"Yet, the triad sill has its third point. It seems as though a second Allotter has appeared, and the fire sages claim that _she_, like the Spinner and the original Allotter, is now located somewhere within the walls of this village. Perhaps she was summoned from elsewhere to replace the Enforcer or perhaps her presence is the reason for the displacement of the Enforcer."

"Perhaps it is meaningless nonsense," Danzo shrugged carelessly as his eyes flickered back to the window, "but I think we have both survived long enough to see that even the stories of superstition hold some grain of truth."

Without another word or waiting to here the Third's reply, Danzo swept out of the office. Regardless of whether or not the Hokage acted on the news, there was no doubt that the young shinobi had plans in his mind, more than a few of which he intended to carry out. Whatever ill-omen that lied upon his village, he would ensure that no matter what the fates intended, his Konoha would not fall.

After all, in the absence of the Enforcer, fate was not set in stone.

.

She was surprised to see the children waiting for her when she returned. Even more surprised when she saw the three baby-chunin she had tongue lashed the night before playing with them—well, Rin and Obito were playing. Kakashi was just standing there looking awkward as little Orin looked up at him with something like awe.

"You're a real ninja! That's so cool! Do something ninja-y. C'mon, please?"

With a long-suffering sigh, the grey-haired ninja performed a few quick hand signs, and with a dramatic poof of smoke, Orin was looking at an exact replica of himself (sans the enthusiasm).

"That is amazing senpai!" he cheered, "So cool!"

The Orin clone just sighed again looking as though he would rather be anywhere else.

"YOU!"

Sakura jumped at the sudden shout, turning to see Obito marching up to her with a look of accusation.

"I stayed up all night chasing those stupid shadow clones!"

'_Shadow clones?'_ Sakura thought, _'but I didn't make any. That was the point.'_

"You didn't either," pointed out the bored-looking Orin (Kakashi), "Sensei caught you snoring on one of the roofs in the marketplace this morning."

"Yeah, well," Obito stumbled looking flustered, "She didn't have to get sensei to help her. He can make more clones than anyone else I know, and his charka signature was all over that mess at the training field."

"Alright," Sakura smiled as she interrupted yet another argument, "well who found me first?"

"I did," Obito said puffing up proudly, "I saw you in the market! …But, eh," he deflated somewhat under Kakahi's glare "Rin-chan was the one to figure it out."

The girl blushed from where she was braiding Mimi's hair. "I didn't figure anything out really," she said shyly, "I just pointed out that you would be here, taking care of the kids since they seemed important to you."

"Don't belittle yourself," Sakura gently scolded, "Observation is an important skill for all shinobi."

If anything, this only caused the girl's face to grow redder in embarrassment. "Ah, really it was nothing. Kakashi would have noticed it sooner if he hadn't been pulled away for jounin assessments."

"Jounin assessments?" Sakura asked with a note of surprise.

"Yeah," Rin beamed at this change in topic, "he's the first in our class to be considered."

"Hey! Hey!" interrupted Obito, "He's just being _considered_. He's not a jounin yet!"

Before Sakura had time to wrap her head around this new development (_jounin? Already? He can't even be thirteen!?_), she felt a slight tug on her shirt. Glancing down, she saw Kimi desperately trying to get her attention looking quite upset.

"You're not going to leave are you?"

The pinket squatted so she was on the other girl's eye level. "I have a meeting with the Hokage later, but then I'll be back."

The small girl with honey-colored hair shook her head furiously. "No, I mean _leave_-leave, like never come back."

Now this was a problem Sakura didn't know how to handle. She certainly didn't want to lie, but she certainly _hoped_ that she wouldn't stay here forever either. She did want to go home after all.

"Why would you think that?" she said, trying to buy herself some time.

"Because Rori said that you would go because you're a princess even though you say you're not, and princess have to live in castles, and Rori says that when you leave you won't take us with you and then you'll be gone and we'll all be alone again. And now your clothes are different so I know you're going to leave soon."

Oh Kami, what was she going to do? Kimi looked like she was on the verge of crying, and all the other kids had stopped playing to watch her too, the same apprehensive expressions appearing on their faces. Sakura rocked on the balls of her feet, anxiously searching for the right words. Oh how she wished she _was_ home, back in _her_ Konoha, where little orphans didn't stare up at her with big pleading eyes or follow her around like attention-deprived puppies.

"Konoha is my home," she said finally, picking her words with care, "I'm not going to leave it behind."

"You promise?"

She smiled and held up her smallest finger "I pinkie swear."

They shook on it. Even though she had spoken in the most evasive yet truthful manner she could, Sakura sensed something click into place. Like a new rung on the wheel of fate…

Turning as she sensed a new presence, she saw the same masked ANBU from the night before watching her. Maybe it was because he stood so close, maybe it was because of her angle and the brightness of the sunlight, maybe it was because she was missing her home and Naruto by extension, but she could _swear_ that his eyes were blue. Not like Ino's though, they were darker, more like Naruto's. But what other clan besides the Yamanaka's had blue eyes?

Before she could ponder it any further, his deep timbre spoke from behind the porcelain mask, "Hokage-sama wishes to see you. Says you had an appointment?"

"Yes," she said gathering her courage, "I'll be right there."

…

**A/N:** I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed on my story! It really means a lot and helps keep me motivated.


	4. Acceptance & Denial

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto, I would have every fangirl sign up for a special spy network because anyone that can stalk a fellow shinobi successfully before even graduating from the Academy is more than qualified.

**Warnings:** This chapter contains mild bullying.

…

**Fate's Allotter: Part 1**

**Chapter 4: Acceptance and Denial**

.  
_Thanking someone is the first sign of acceptance-  
Accepting that__ you were in need help_

.

'_Perhaps_,' Sakura thought regretfully, '_I should have held off on selling my kimono. I seem to lost some of my intimidating presence with the change of clothes_.'

The tea set was still set out, but this time, the Hokage didn't offer her any or take the extra time with pleasantries before heading into the business aspect of the meeting. She couldn't decide if this meant that he was treating like a ninja instead of an aristocrat or if he now viewed her as a threat. Perhaps it was a bit of both.

"Sakura-san, I am sorry, but I must break our promise."

She stilled. "H-How do you mean."

"I am going to have to look deeper into your memories than I originally anticipated."

"What? Why?"

"Don't look so upset, I don't plan on digging through your secrets or looking at anything that might alter the present, but the nature of your appearance in the timing of certain events is troubling."

"You believe I was sent back here deliberately," She finished for him.

"Indeed," replied the Third, "I cannot say what is more troubling: your presence here or your absence there. Already, even if it is only in some small way, you have changed the timeline. The food that you have eaten is gone, there is now in existence a kimono that did not belong to this era, and even if we were to kill you and burn the remains, your body would still serve as fertilizer for plants that did not have it before."

"You did not seem so disturbed by this when we last spoke."

"I had believed it was just another leg of destiny's dance and that your presence here was necessitated to create the future from which you came from."

"And whatever happened involves me somehow?"

"Possibly."

Sakura felt a bubble of frustration rise within her. "Why don't you tell me what happened that's caused you to change your mind."

"I cannot. That information is classified, and I will not speak of it until I know that I can trust you."

"And _I_ can't let you dig through my head until I know you aren't going to endanger _my_ Konoha. When I go home, I'm going back to that Konoha not one that you've altered or twisted."

She glared at him for all she was worth. This was one thing she _would not_ compromise. Her friends would be born, her village would have five hokages, and _nothing_ he said would make her back down from this.

"Pardon me." The two turned their gazes to Inochi, who up until now had been leaning innocuously against the wall. He had been debriefed on the situation, and, while incredulous, had agreed to perform the mind-walk on Sakura.

"Wouldn't it be easier if I performed a superficial mind-walk while she was conscious. I could confirm her story, and then Hokage-sama explain why a deeper probe is necessary." He spoke rather carelessly as though it mattered very little to him how the task was accomplished so long as it got him out of the room faster.

Sakura nodded in acquiescence as the Third reached for his pipe. "Very well."

Then, with a single hand sign, both Sakura and Inochi went limp.

.

"You're acting weird sensei."

Minato blinked at his student's blunt statement, but Kakashi didn't elaborate as he continued juggling kunai much to the amusement of Orin and Sota who were watching him in rapt attention. It had been rather unlike him to continue wearing his ANBU mask while inside the village, much less hide his identity from a fellow ninja. Granted, the pink-haired kunoichi did not seem to be from Konoha so a certain level of secrecy was to be expected, but Minato had never previously shown any inclination to hide his identity from foreign nin before.

Plus there was the fact that a team of chunin (one of which was being evaluated for jounin status) was now babysitting. Kakashi hadn't done a D-rank mission in years. D-rank missions were for academy students or fresh genin that needed to work on their ability to function as a team.

Minato didn't say anything, but he did take off the mask at least. Kakashi wasn't stupid; he could tell that it had something to do with the arrival of the kunoichi in the kimono, but to what extent, he was uncertain. He rarely understood people's motivations on the best days, and his sensei, in particular, was an absolute enigma.

His sensei was always calm, collected, and seemingly in control of every situation. Even when they spared, Kakashi felt that if he or either of his teammates gained the upper hand, it was only because Minato _let _them. But if there was anything Kakashi had learned about his sensei was that Minato never did something without reason.

The grey-haired jounin potential knew there had to be _some_ rationale behind his sensei's continued avoidance of the pink haired girl, and he wondered if his sensei had seen something in her or knew something about her that Kakashi himself had missed.

Reevaluating the little he knew: pink hair, kunoichi, seemingly a specialist in speed, genjutsu, and clones—a good combination for a scout or infiltrative-type—also a mysterious arrival at the village following an attack on a nearby temple, supposed refugee but that could be a cover… Did sensei think she was a spy? Doubtful, he wouldn't have made them sit through a lecture from a foreign ninja… unless she was of special importance, like a dignitary of some kind, and that would explain the outfit... but hiding like that; it wasn't exactly sensei's normal route of dealing with things…

Back and forth the young shinobi went, building theories but unable to draw solid conclusions. He also couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing some critical piece of information.

Minato stretched, the sudden movement drawing his frustrated pupil's attention away from his circling thoughts. "How about we go train while the kids get lunch?"

.

If Sakura had been in the state of mind to realize what she was missing, she would have mourned the lost lunch. And breakfast for that matter.

"And you think, I'm the Allotter?" she asked incredulous.

After Inochi, had confirmed her story and verified that her memories were of a different, seemingly older Konoha, the Hokage hadn't wasted much time in explaining his concerns.

"You see the problem? If you are indeed the Allotter and someone has sent back in time intentionally, is it to affect this time or yours? I suspect the latter as you have repeatedly state your desire to "not change the future" and it seems more likely that you were sent back to make room for the Enforcer in your time."

"But we still haven't established that _I_ am the other Allotter, because if I'm _not_, then we have other problems to worry about," Sakura pointed out.

"Indeed," replied the Third, "Now will you let us do the second mind walk?"

Sakura sighed. "I still can't see why you can't simply _tell_ me what you are looking for, and I still feel uncomfortable with you looking through my memories."

"It is not something you would be conscious of," Hiruzen explained, "Most of the Fates are not aware of their abilities, and the Allotters are especially known for being subtle. For example, you may have known something that was going to happen before it did, something that no one else recognized, but even though you _knew_ what was going to happen, you still couldn't prevent it or change it."

"I'm sure that happens to everyone at some point," she countered, "and it could have just been intuition."

"Or," continued the Third without addressing the argument, "you may have _said_ something, perhaps something you had been uncertain of, but once you _said_ it, you knew it would occur."

"Conviction is a powerful thing, Hokage-sama," Sakura said with a note of frustration.

"How about this," Inochi jumped in, once again playing the peacekeeper, "Sakura can pick out memories that fit the Hokage's criteria and I can project them. Then we can evaluate those memories to see if they are intuition or magical fate whatever and Sakura won't have to worry about any sensitive issues that might affect the future."

Sakura smiled, "I knew there was a reason I liked you Inochi-san." Besides, of course, being her best friend's dad.

"Very well," the so-called God of Shinobi agreed. "Let's start with an emotional-driven conflict. Something from your childhood though so it won't be too upsetting."

She thought for a moment searching for a safe memory before nodding to Inochi.

The Yamanka put his hand on her head as he instructed her. "Keep that memory in mind, and I'll project it so Hokage-sama can see it too."

"Right, I'm ready."

.

_A small pink-haired girl was sitting in the sandbox. She was in the process of digging a hole, but her attention seemed to be more on the other children who were playing some distance away. She looked as though she wanted to join their game of tag, but seemed oddly hesitant about it as though the group would not accept her. _

_What was particularly odd though was the fact that for once, she wasn't wearing her clan's symbol, a white circle of which she had worn on her back since the day she was born as a sign of her title as heiress, as a person deserving of respect. Granted, she was from a merchant clan, but considering their history as samurai, the first protectors of the infant Konoha, the symbol on her back or sleeve still earned her a nod or a smile from any adult who knew her clan's history. _

_But its protection was lost today as she played alone in the sand. Sakura had always been a quiet child, observant and calculating of those around her, and it wasn't entirely accidental that the other children couldn't see her clan's circle. She had been watching them for a long time now, and she wanted to know how they would react to her without knowing who she was. _

_As always though, she was cautious when engaging the unknown which is why she started by playing in the sand rather than immediately approaching the group on the playground. They were bigger and faster than her, and Sakura had enough sense in her to be cautious around them. _

_Unfortunately, her concerns about their acceptance were soon tested as one of the boys, taking a sharp turn to avoid the girl chasing him, fell into her hole._

"_Wah!" Sakura cried as he smacked into her._

"_You!" the boy shouted as he struggled to get out of the cavity, "You did that on purpose!"_

_Sakura back crab-crawled away from him as the other children gathered at the fringes. "N-no I didn't," she stuttered, "you hit me."_

"_Nah-ah!" said the girl who had been chasing him. "You're a liar. I saw the whole thing! You tripped Sota-kun so he would fall in the pit you dug."_

_Was she blind? Sakura wondered. How could she have possibly caused this from way over here, and he had been the one to run straight at _her_, but all around her, she saw the other children glaring at her accusingly._

"_I didn't! I didn't!" she insisted, but the red-haired girl shoved her hard so that her face landed in the sand. _

"_Shut-up forehead girl!"_

_Picking up on the insult, the other kids began to jeer at her. _

"_Stop lying forehead!"_

"_No wonder Sota tripped. Her forehead is ginormous!"_

"_Maybe that's why she was digging so she could bury herself so her parent's didn't have to be ashamed of her HUGE head!"_

"_S-stop it!" Sakura cried welling up with tears, but that only worsened the catcalls._

"_Oough! Crybaby forehead got something to say? It better not be more lies."_

"_I said stop it!" She shouted as she got to her feet. She glared at the taller children trying to look fierce. "I'm going to be a ninja someday," she declared, "and then you'll be sorry!"_

_It was strange. There were many things she could have said or threatened them with, but why a ninja? Sakura had never given it much thought before, and it really didn't make much sense considering her civilian background. Her parents had never mentioned her becoming a ninja, and she had never previously considered it. Perhaps it was because her mother once expressed a fear towards ninjas that Sakura decided to use that as a threat._

"_Pshh! A pipsqueak like you? No way.'_

"_I don't know Mora… perhaps she could hit them with her giant forehead."_

.

"Stop," the Third said, "I think I have seen enough. Let's try a different memory."

On it went, and Sakura felt as though she was beginning to relive a good portion of her childhood: not having a good explanation for her mother as to _why_ she suddenly wanted to be a ninja and repeatedly _telling_, not asking, her mother that it is what she would do; telling Ino that she would soon surpass her (at which Ino scoffed); being the only one to realize that Sasuke planned on leaving the village…

They took their time on that last one, looking through the hints and how Sakura could have drawn the conclusions that _that_ night was the one he would leave. And there were clues—his frustration with the progression of his training, his anger at Naruto for beginning to surpass him, his opinion of Sakura drifting from petty annoyance to outright detest. But nothing pointed to it being _that_ night except for Sakura's intuition.

After a while, it became apparent that both Inochi and Hiruzen were convinced that she was the Allotter and were only continuing to go through memories with her until _she_ was convinced.

Sakura sighed as she pushed Inochi's hand away. "Okay, let's say that I am the Allotter. How does this change anything?"

The Third looked deeply troubled. "If you are the Allotter, then we can't send you home. Whoever sent you here did more than just switch your place with the Enforcer in time. The balance has been broken between the three Fates. We can't switch you with the Allotter from that time because there _is not Allotter_."

'_But that wasn't possible!'_ her mind wanted to argue, '_Was it?_' Yet how could she say that? She herself had witnessed the existence of an alternate universe when "Tobi" sent her and Naruto through a vortex to that world where her parents were dead. She wanted it to be a dream, _needed_ it to be a dream.

The Hokage's words began to click into place. The reason she could return to her original world that time was because the other Sakura had been put in her place, temporarily filling the "Allotter's" role in balance—but now…

"Whoever switched you knew who the Enforcer was and who you were, and since we _don't_ we can't switch you two back to your rightful times"

"But it is more than that," Hiruzen continued, "Because the Fates are off-balanced, there has been a split in the timeline. We now exist in a separate reality from your Konoha because in your world, the balance of the three fates was never disturbed."

"How do you know?" She demanded suddenly scared and angry, "How do you know this still can't be part of the same time loop?"

"Because," Inochi murmured, "that would create a paradox."

"Precisely," agreed the man behind the desk. "The kimono you sold this morning did not yet exist in this plane. It cannot simply exist because you brought it back into the past for it to exist, as that would create a paradox. The kimono would get recycled over and over with each time cycle, growing older and worn down because even though your time is linear in a manner, the kimono's time is not."

Sakura's head spun as she tried to keep up with it, but yes in a way, it did make sense. Whereas she would go forward in time eventually, the kimono (assuming it became the one her parents eventually purchased for her) would continue to cycle through time, existing only so she could bring it back in time to exist.

Inochi, on the other hand, looked quite woozy trying to follow the Hokage's logic.

"But what if," Sakura thought out loud, "when I return to my time, if I only take with me what I was wearing at the time that I got here."

"But you sold it," the Third pointed out.

"Well, then lend me some coins, and I'll go get it back," she retorted feeling frustrated.

"Ano," said Inochi, "I don't think that is the Hokage's point. All that would all be fine. I mean, we would have to be careful to keep track of things to avoid causing that kind of paradox, but that would only work if you weren't the Allotter.

"You see Sakura-san, it's not necessarily the fact that you are here but that _he_ is _there_. The Spinner creates fate, the Allotter gives it, and the Enforcer ensures it. That is why they always must be balanced. The only way to replace or switch them without causing a time paradox is to use the Allotter or Enforcer from another dimension.

"There is no Enforcer here now who can _make_ fate stay on its true path so that means we won't necessarily become the Konoha you know because that fate can be _avoided_. At the same time, because you aren't in your Konoha, the Enforcers can twist fate because there is no Allotter to tell them what they should enforce. The Spinner can keep carving the path, but now that path can belong to _anyone_."

Sakura whimpered as a sudden realization crept upon her. The Enforcers—and she had a pretty good idea of who at least one of them was—could force people to take a fate that didn't necessarily belong to them. They could create whatever kind of world they wanted.

.  
_Madara had resolved to gather the nine tailed beasts and merge them with the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path in order to revive the Ten-Tails. As its jinchuriki, he would be able to reflect his Mangekyo Sharingan on the moon and shroud the world in an infinite Tsukuomi such that he could manipulate every living creature and ceasing conflict itself, but due to his poor health and old age, Madara could no longer work on the plan at some point, and left its completion… up to a man known as Tobi.  
_.

Sakura admittedly knew very little about Tobi other than the fact he was an Uchiha. Only Naruto and Kakashi sensei seemed to know anything about his real identity, and they were both pretty tight-lipped on the subject. Not that the pinket had had much time to probe for answers back then as she had been _quite_ busy trying to keep half of the village from bleeding to death as it were.

Summoning her courage, she pulled herself back on track to ask the question they had all been avoiding. "Alright, so now what?"

.

Standing alone in an empty apartment with her hand still on the door, Sakura felt like breaking down right there.

"_What do we do now?"_

"_That depends on you Sakura-san. How do _you_ want to proceed? Do you want to deviate the timeline, try to create a Konoha in which the Enforcers of your time cannot cause such great harm or do you want to try and find a way back to your original Konoha despite the likelihood that you will ever get there?"_

Like she always did when she was stressed or nervous, she pulled at the ends of her hair, but this time, her hands stopped halfway, her eyes taking on a hard glint. '_No weakness,_' she reprimanded herself. '_I have to stay strong. I know I made the right decision._'

_She knew that there was no right answer to this question. Did she risk creating a Konoha where the future was unknown and unstable, where the balance of war and peace was unknown? Or was she just going to let history repeat itself as Konoha carved through the same bloody path just so she could have _her_ Konoha? It was do or do not; those were the only options. No compromise, either she was in or she was out._

"_I will not abandon Konoha. I will alter what little fate I can so that this Konoha is prepared, and at the end of the war, I will find a way to get home and save my Konoha somehow."_

She didn't have a clue where to begin either. Supposedly, the old Enforcer had just died, according to the fire sages, and the new one had vanished the way she had before being even a day old. She would have to comb through the missing person reports, dig through every last kidnapping case and then pray that one of the parents had held onto _something_ that had belonged to the baby prior to his/her disappearance. That was also assuming that the fire sages weren't mistaken and it had really been the old Enforcer that had been whisked away.

It felt like the walls were closing in on her, and suddenly Sakura couldn't stand being alone in that apartment a moment longer. Bolting out of the apartment without bothering to lock the door, she flew out of the building and into the streets. She just had to get somewhere _away_ from this terrible situation. She didn't want to be an Allotter, she didn't want to be lost in time, and she didn't want to be in _this_ Konoha.

She didn't realize she was crying until her vision blurred completely and she crashed into someone.

"My cabbages!" a vendor shrieked as his wagon toppled on top of her.

Sakura herself was too stunned to move as people began gathering around her.

A dark haired man began offering her an hand up before he suddenly stepped back and glared at fallen woman. "Ninjas," he spat like a curse, "can't let the rest of us live in peace can you?"

That's right; she had a forehead protector now, tied firmly around her waist. Even with her cheap clothes, she couldn't pass as a civilian now.

Her arms shook as she pushed herself up, but no one moved to help her. That was fine, understandable even. This was a time of war, and civilians tended to be more hostile towards shinobi since they tended to do most of the killing. It was misplaced anger, she told herself. They aren't really angry at her, but after a day of reliving some of her more painful childhood memories, she was bound to be more than a little vulnerable.

"Sorry," she muttered, ducking her head to hide her expression. She half expected the vendor to shove her the way Ami had on that playground so long ago, but the man only continued to sob in a somewhat eccentric manner.

"My cabbages! My poor, poor cabbages!"

"I'm sorry," she tried again as she began picking up the fallen produce and reload it back into the wagon.

"Well, aren't you going to pay him for the damage," a well-dressed woman sneered.

Sakura froze. Oh Kami, that woman, it was her mother. _That was her mother_. Standing there, glaring at her, not having a clue who she was.

She started trembling feeling completely lost. She put another cabbage back on the cart.

"Pay him you worthless girl!" Her mother snarled.

Reaching into her pocket, Sakura held out the only money she had: a single golden coin. She didn't mind if this meant that she had to forage in the forest for her dinner; she had done it before and could get by. She could wash her clothes in the creek and look like a regular pauper if she had to, and she didn't mind that. But she had been hoping… those kids at the refugee center, they deserved a better place to live, and since she had decided to change things anyways…

"_One_ coin?!" the future Mrs. Haruno scoffed.

"It's all I have…"

"How about your silver hairpiece?"

Sakura stilled. _No._

"It's the least you can do after causing this mess."

Kami, why did it have to be her_ mother_? Why couldn't it have been anyone else? She would have taken an army of childhood bullies over this.

It was as thought the world was holding its breath as she reached, fingers shaking for the clip. The silver bells tinkled as her fingers brushed against them, and she felt as though something died insider her when she pulled it free from her hair.

Waves of pink tumbled over her shoulders, longer now than it had been for a long time.

.

"_You should grow your hair out again Sakura-chan. I bet it would look nice."_

"_I can't Naruto. I'm not that girl who fawns over her appearance anymore, and I keep it short to remind myself the cost of being a shinobi."_

_He had looked at her sadly. "But you were happier back then."_

_She shook her head. "I was naive."_

"_No, you're wrong. You were very brave. I know you saw the same world as Sasuke and me, but you didn't let it change you where it mattered. I admired that. You were strong in ways that we couldn't be."_

_She shook her head, "I was just a little girl playing ninja."_

_He smiled softly. "You don't have to prove yourself to anyone. You're a _shinobi_.'_

_Sakura huffed feeling oddly defensive. "Why does this matter so much to you anyways." The old habit of punching him whenever he said something stupid made her hand itch._

"_Strange as this sounds, I miss you, the old Sakura. I miss her smile."_

"_What does hair have to do with me smiling Baka?!"_

"_Eh? Nothing really, but if I can't have her smile, can I at least look at her pretty hair?"_

_This time she really did punch him. Not with charka, but still hard enough that he would feel it._

But she did grow it out (started the day he left on his training mission), and at some point her father noticed her standing before the mirror trying all kinds of ways to hold it back from her face. She was too old for pigtails and couldn't pull them off the way Tsunami could, and braids just made it appear as though her forehead was taking over her entire head (she was still a bit sensitive about that).

Her father, being the ever-practical man, saw the solution before she did.

"_Consider it an early birthday present."_

"_Dad, it's beautiful…" She touched the small silver bells with something close to awe. _

"_I know you probably can't wear it on missions or when you're trying to sneak up on your mother, but this should take care of your hair problems for the time being."_

_She stared at her father dumbstruck. He knew? Oh course he knew; the Haruno clan leader was as observant of his daughter as he was with his business._

"_Oh," he called over his shoulder, "And I'm sure Naruto-san will love your new look when he gets back from his mission."_

"_But he's not… and I'm not…" But her father was already gone and she was still standing in front of the mirror. "Yeah," she sighed, "he probably will."_

.

But Naruto had never seen her long hair or her father's hairclip. He hadn't come back before she was spirited away. And now he wouldn't… she couldn't… He'd never see it.

"Lass…" the cabbage vendor was looking at her in concern. Oh gods, was she crying again? Yes. Yes, she was. It really was the icing on the cake after such a terrible day. After losing _everything_, what does her pride matter anyways?

The vendor gave her a pitying look. "You don't have to—"

"Well of course she does," her mother interrupted with a huff. Stepping forward, she made to snatch at the silver bells dangling from Sakura's hand. "After all it is only proper—"

As the woman's finger brushed against the first bell, her hand was suddenly jerked to a stop.

"You really shouldn't take things that don't belong to you," came a firm voice as a hand gripped her mother's wrist.

Sakura's eyes followed the hand, up the arm, and her heart almost came to a stop. "N-Naruto?"

He must not have heard her because he failed to respond, still busy sternly staring at her mother. "This girl just lost her entire village, her family, everything. She barely escaped with her life. Of course she doesn't have any money. I don't blame you for not knowing that, but perhaps in the future you could more considerate of others' circumstances?"

His smile was pleasant, but there was a subtle undertone to it, a warning, that didn't leave any room for argument.

"Of, of course." No wonder her mother was afraid of shinobi

"Good," the blond replied before releasing her hand and shoving a cabbage into it. "You can start by helping Mr. Cabbage man here pick up this mess before anyone else gets hurt."

Sakura was still standing there, a gold coin in one hand and her sparkling hair clip in the other. Was her imagination playing a trick on her? Was this really Naruto? Everything about that moment seemed so surreal as he gently closed her hand over the gold coin. He looked real enough, yet there was definitely something off about him as paid the vendor for her.

It felt like a role reversal actually. How many times had she apologized on her teammate's behalf after he knocked over an apple stand or barreled into someone's groceries? The villagers had always been somewhat distrustful of the orange-clad ninja, and the whole process just went a lot smoother when she was the one offering to cover the damages. They were always nice to _her_—especially when they caught sight of her family's crest hanging from her sleeve like a banner. She had resented Naruto for it when they were younger (he practically cleared out her entire allowance), but that's just what teammates do: watch out for each other both on and off the battlefield.

She was broken from her reverie as a warm hand grasped her by the forearm and began to drag her away from the crowd surrounding the cabbage cart. Putting the small coin back in her pocket, she began feeling better almost instantly. She almost laughed in relief. Even if he was acting weird, Naruto was here, and she was…

_Naruto here. _Old Konoha, different universe.

She immediately stopped walking, and the man turned to look at her as she wrenched herself from his grip. She could see it now—this man is taller for one and he doesn't have Naruto's whisker marks, the curve of his jaw is softer, and there wasn't a single speck of orange on him (blasphemy).

There were a lot of things she wanted to say, but instead, Sakura just stood there sputtering like a fish. _Not Naruto_. The man simply watched her patiently for a few moments, but when she failed to come up with any kind of reaction, he grabbed her hand again, tugging her along.

This time she follows. She doesn't really know why. Maybe it is because from the back, he really does look like her Naruto, and after all that she had been through today, she really needed her best friend beside her. She gripped his hand desperately as though if she could pretend hard enough, this doppelganger would turn into her Naruto. She saw him wince, but he didn't pull away or complain.

Sakura wasn't really paying attention to where he was taking her. A good portion of her brain had turned itself off, tired of being reasonable and pragmatic, tired of trying to deal with everything that was happening to her.

So that's why, when they finally stopped and he let go of her hand, she didn't look at his face. She didn't want to see that he wasn't Naruto and this wasn't her Konoha and this wasn't just the biggest mess she had ever been in.

Biting her lip so she wouldn't cry, she looked very deliberately away from him. Some part of her knew that she was supposed to say something, thank him maybe, and he kept standing there, watching her. She felt so exposed and _raw_ with his eyes on her and knowing that she was doing an abysmal job of hiding what she felt.

Gods, all she had to do was say thank you, bow politely, and leave. That's it. Easy. But her mouth wasn't moving, and she certainly wasn't making any move to thank him, and she was so scared—more scared than she had been in her entire life—that she had finally fallen to a place where she could never ever crawl out of.

Slowly, the man moved towards her with his arms held out passively as though he was afraid he would startle her. She watched him, still not looking up at his face, as he reached for her hand and began uncurling her fingers. Her hairclip! She had forgotten all about it, but now he was prying her fingers open and she wasn't fighting him. It seemed like too much work at this point, and really if he wanted those silver bells, he had every right in the world to claim them.

But when he did pry her hand open and take the hairclip from her, he didn't immediately stuff it into his pocket like she expected. No, he did something even more surprising: he touched her. As he combed his fingers through her hair, she nearly jumped out her skin in shock. He swept her long tresses over her right shoulder before twisting the middle and using the bell clip to hold it in place, and she forgot her own rule not to look at him as she stared up at him in wonder.

"There," he smiled softly at her, "now it's back where it belongs."

Of all the things she could have said, Sakura surprised herself when she declared, "I don't need your help."

He looked surprised as well but seemed to take it in stride. His hand didn't move from her shoulder, and strangely, she didn't step back or shrug off his hand. In a weird way, it actually helped to ground her and separate him from her teammate.

Naruto never touched her, not casually like this. Even on missions, he only pushed her or grabbed her to keep her out of harms way. Not to comfort her. She had always been the one reaching out, a hug, a hand on the shoulder, a punch when he was stupid, and she had been chasing after him for so long, running and running, but she could never catch up, never be something to him, useful or otherwise, because he wouldn't let her catch him. She understood, of course, that he would react that way after so many years of rejection. But she had never thought _he_ would call her a _liar_, of all things, when she finally got the courage to tell him…

.

_Sakura wasn't _blind_, and even she could see how easy it would have been for them to cross that invisible barrier… but she also was quite, painfully aware that such a thing would never happen._

"_I'm sorry Sakura-chan, but I… I just can't see you that way anymore."_

_He drew the line, and she knew better than anyone that _she_ wasn't allowed across it. He left an ache in her chest that burrowed deeply to where it hurt the most. Gods, it hurt, but he made it quite clear that he wasn't… he couldn't… that they would just be teammates… _

"_Ah, don't look like that! It's not your fault. I… I understand." She didn't really understand, but putting on that fake smile was the only way she could think of making things better. "Do't worry about me. I'm a big girl; I'll get over it."_

_Yet, how could she even glance at anyone else after he set such impossibly high standards? They would only ever be teammates, she knew that, but why did he have to make it so damn hard?_

_How was Sakura supposed to move on when he kept looking at her like _that—_like a man looks at a woman._

_"We'll always be teammates," he assured her, and Sakura had to bite her lip to prevent herself from showing how deep that statement cut._

_It was okay though; she could live with that, painful as it was. They were still teammates after all, and as long as he didn't push her completely away, Sakura would be _fine_. She had dealt with unrequited love before, and if experience had taught her anything, life would go on, people would come and go, and eventually, her heart would heal. _

.

It was strange. She could almost feel something shifting—not a physical thing but something in the way the air tasted or the way the sunlight beamed on them. Maybe it was fate or destiny or whatever it was that the Hokage had preached on and on about, but she could actually sense it sliding into place, like cogs on a wheel.

She took a step back, his arm sliding from her shoulder. "I should go," she said, still not looking at him. He wasn't Naruto, and it wasn't fair to anyone to pretend otherwise. She had to get out of here, put as much distance between herself and the double of her (best friend? Love?) _teammate_ as she could.

She knew that she should thank him, but some part of her resisted that, hating the idea of _owing_ anyone much less a stranger.

"I'll," the words clogged in her throat, but she forced herself to spit them out, "I'll pay you back somehow."

While not perfect, it was good enough, and she made it very clear that while she _would_ return the favor, she would do it on her terms, not his. She owed him, but she didn't _owe_ him.

Not waiting to hear his response, she spun on her heal and ran.

…

**A/N:** Whew! That was a long chapter. I thought about cutting it down, but I'm too stubborn to leave anything out. :)

As always, reviews are greeted with enthusiasm, much festivity, and continued inspiration. Thanks to everyone who took the time to send me one.


	5. Growl

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, would I be writing a fanfic? No, I would be too busy inventing new superpowers for my ninja brethren.

…

Fate's Allotter: Part 1

Chapter 5: Growl

.

"_Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up. They happen to break you down and build you up so you can be all that you were intended to be." __~Charlie Jones_

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Sleeping on top of the monument is a new feeling of low. Sakura felt absolutely pathetic, but there was no way she was going back to that empty apartment by herself. It was too quiet. Up here, at least she had the sounds of the forest, and she could pretend that it was just another mission.

Her dreams were just as relentless as the previous night's, but now that Naruto's voice had joined the others, somehow it didn't feel quite so invasive.

_._

"_Why am I not surprised to see you here?"_

"_What have you done with her!?"_

"_There is no need for that. She is quite safe. You really should be thanking me since I doubt you'd want your precious Sakura-chan to see you in this state."_

_A low, inhuman growl._

_Laughter. "You are most humorous, demon boy, such a contradiction. You say you don't want her and yet your own actions deny these words."_

"_I won't ask again," soft and dangerous, "Where is Sakura?"_

_._

"_Sasuke."_

"_Hmm? How come when the word's gone to shit, you're always the last one to show up?"_

"_Bastard."_

"_Dobe." A pause. "You're bleeding."_

"_Doesn't matter."_

"_Fine then, bleed to death, but next time do it on someone else's carpet." Silence. Drops of red against a white floor. A sigh. "Are you at least going to tell me why you're here?"_

"_He took her. He took Sakura-chan."_

"_And how does this concern me?"_

_._

"_You had every choice in the world—who to be want you grew up, what people thought of you—you are the reckoning, the force of change and people, their opinions, their dreams—if you didn't like them, you changed them, simple, easy. You always had a choice. _

"_Me? I was born into a room with no windows or doors. I didn't _chose_ my fate, I didn't _chose_ to be what I am; fate decided that. So I broke the thread of cause and effect and **made** my own door. It is nothing personal. Your Sakura was in the way, so I shoved her somewhere else."_

_._

_"You guys piss me off so badly that I can't even express it in words… So I'll just tell you something about me… I'm no trash__!** And I'll never become trash! And I won't let you kill my comrades!**__"_

_._

"_If you kill me—assuming you even could—then you'll never find her, and if you don't kill Sasuke, there will never be a place for her in this world."_

"_Even if it takes an entire lifetime, I will bring _both_ of my teammates home!"_

"_Why do you care, hmm? She's safe now. She doesn't have to fight."_

"_It's __**her**__ choice! You can't make it for her!"_

"_Again with the amusing black and white accusations. Not unexpected but certainly ironic, considering the source... I'm not the only one who has taken away her __**choice**__, eh Naruto-kun?"_

"_I'll tear you to shreds!"_

.

She woke up with a gasp feeling as though fingers were clenched around her heart. _Naruto_. He was looking for her. Her chest ached with a sharp, sad pain.

"_No matter what you say, no matter what you do, I know my Sakura-chan. She is strong, stronger than you know. Even if I can't find her, she'll break free herself. She's the bravest person I know."_

"I'm not giving up!" she shouted into the wind. "I will beat this! I will _**NEVER EVER**_ give up!"

.

By the time the sun rose, her tears had dried, and even though she still felt absolutely exhausted, her sense of control was back. Dealing with the tasks that lay before her didn't seem quite so insurmountable now that her head was clear.

'_I'm a shinobi, damn it; I _make_ impossible things happen.'_

Splashing her face in the creek and finger combing her hair, she hoped that she appeared at least somewhat presentable. Then, wrapping her courage around her like a cloak, she walked back to the village head held high.

The refugee center was oddly quiet when she entered. Despite the early hour, the kids were usually up by now, tearing up the lawn and giving poor Kanya grief, but they were not to be found. When Sakura entered the sleeping area, the only child in sight was the tiny Kimi as she played next to Kanya's cot. Bewildered, Sakura turned to the older woman in question.

"Some ninja came here a few hours ago and gathered up the orphans that were old enough to attend the Academy," the old woman said without prompt. "Little Kimi here was the only one they left behind being that she is yet too young for that."

A fury rose within her. "What?! Why?"

"Times of war lass," Kanya shrugged sadly, "they need every able body, and since the children don't have parents to vouch for them, their fate belongs to the village."

"Like hell it does!" Sakura snarled catching Kanya off guard with her fierce words. "I'll claim them then if no one else will."

Picking up small golden-haired girl from where she sat on the floor, Sakura stormed out of the refugee center and tore down the street like a thunderstorm on a warpath.

.

"Excuse me," Sakura said as politely as she could manage, "could you tell me what room the new recruits are in?"

The secretary looked quite startled by the pinket's appearance in front of his desk, and even though her words were polite, her tapping foot and furious expression was a dead give away that the woman was about to explode.

"I, um, er…" the poor man stuttered knowing full well he shouldn't let her into the building, but Kami help him, that look on her face promised that she would murder him outright if he didn't let her through. While that wasn't precisely Sakura's intent, she wasn't above _maiming_ him a little or beating the stupid out of him if he tried to stop her.

"That's fine," Sakura said through clenched teeth as she let herself in, "I'm sure I can find it."

"W-wait, you can't—"

But she was already gone down the hallway, and the little girl on her hip cheerfully waved goodbye at him as they disappeared around the corner.

The chunin moaned miserably. "I am so getting fired over this."

.

Kato was a somewhat simple man. He enjoyed his relatively cushy job as a sensei at the academy (chunin pay without having to stick his neck out), and he genuinely liked seeing the little kids develop their 'ninja flair' if you will.

This year's recruits were significantly smaller than normal—unsurprising since parents were more hesitant to send their kids into the military during a time of war—but even so, this class only had a few prominent clans (two hyuuga and a Inuzuka). Most of the faces staring back at him were pale and terrified as though they woke up this morning having no idea they were going to be shinobi. Maybe it was just the first-day jitters?

Kato-sensei was in the middle of detailing student expectations for the semester to his new pupils when the door to his classroom was ripped clean off the hinges and tossed across the room like it was nothing. Standing in the doorway was an enraged kunoichi with ridiculous pink hair who was eyeing him like a rhino preparing to charge. Kato gulped as she stomped into the middle of the classroom and shoved him out of the way.

"Those are _my kids_ you ingrate buffoon! You can't just sign them up for the Academy without my permission!"

Oh gods, Kato rubbed his nose, had another idiotic husband signed his kid up for the Academy without telling his wife? It happened sometimes; one parent wanted to coddle their baby while the other wanted them to grow up to be tough shinobi, but _why_ for the love of all that is sacred did they have to throw him in the middle? It wasn't his fault.

"Sakura-hime!" one of his students cried out joyfully.

'_Princess!?_' Kato-sensei thought, '_Oh dear god, if this turns into a political situation, we're in some deep trouble_.'

"Come on kids, we're going home now."

Kato was shocked with a quarter of the class stood up and quickly began gathering their things. "Hold on! Sit back down! Not all of these kids can be yours."

Now that he was looking more critically, even the girl on the young woman's hip didn't look anything like a princess. Her clothes were torn and filthy, her arms smudged with dirt, and aside from the pretty hairclip, she didn't look like someone who could afford to have that many kids.

"They _are_ mine," the girl stated firmly. Her eyes blazed fiercely as though she were daring him to contradict her.

Six of his students had gathered around her, some of them grabbing her arm or clinging to the hem of her shirt as though she were indeed their mother.

"But, but…" Kato tried.

Huffing and ignoring his weak protests, Sakura grabbed the nearest child's hand and led her troops out the door. In the hall, the secretary's absence was duly noted so either the coward had run away or (more likely) he had called for reinforcement.

'_Let them try to stop me.'_

Stomping outside, she kept consciously having to force herself to slow down her furious pace so the kids could keep up. They had nearly made it halfway to her assigned apartment before a masked ANBU agent stopped her.

"It's you!" Sakura said with surprise as she recognized the masks' pattern.

"Hai," said the same masked man who supposedly _wasn't_ the sensei of Kakashi's team, "you have to return the children to the Academy."

"No I don't! They're my kids. I've—I've adopted them, and _no one_ is going to make them be ninjas if they don't want to!" she shouted at his masked face, half wishing she could see his expression.

"What about Itachi-san? I very much doubt _his_ parents would have let you adopt him."

Sakura craned her neck around to see that, yes, that was in fact Itachi standing between Mimi and Sota, but by this point Sakura was so wound up in her self-righteous fury that she didn't even care. "He doesn't have to be a ninja either if he doesn't want to."

"Actually—" the masked man began, but Sakura cut him off.

"I do not _care_ what is _convenient_ for the village! They don't want to be ninja, and I'm not going to let anyone try to force them! Mimi" she pointed furiously, "wants to be a healer, and Kami help me, I will make sure she gets to be the best damn healer this side of fire country! If she changes her mind and wants to be a ninja, well that's fine too, but not you or anyone else can make her be something she's not!

"These kids watched their parents get killed by ninja. Maybe not leaf shinobi, but that hardly matters. _We didn't do our job! We didn't protect them!_ That's what being a shinobi means, and if we can't even do that much then how can we expect the next generation to do it? They have every right in the world to hate us, and that's not going to change unless we do something about it.

"I don't care if this means I have to fight the Hokage myself or collect tin cans off the street so they can get a decent meal at night. It is the right thing to do, and if you can't see that you better get out of my way ANBU-san before I make you."

A small crowd of onlookers had gathered, and Sakura could see them whispering behind their hands as she glared at the man blocking her path. He started to reach for something in his pouch, but Sakura didn't wait to see what it was. Eight clones burst into existence and each grabbed a child before scattering across the rooftops and down the back alleys. Alone and empty handed, Sakura did a mental calculation on her status: chakra reserves were excellent, but she only had one kunai and—wait was he laughing?

"You're too protective Sakura-san!" he laughed opening his palm to show that what he had been reaching for was a coin pouch.

_Oh_.

"I don't need your help!"

"I'm sure you don't, but I'd hate to see a pretty girl collecting tin cans because she can't afford six kids worth of ramen."

Sakura fumed as he tossed her the pouch, but before she could pelt it back at his face, he was already gone. She sighed in submission. God damn it, now she owed _two_ people, and she hadn't even been here a week yet.

.

'_Hey Sakura-chan,'_ _Naruto asked her as they sprawled out in front of a campfire,_ _"What's your favorite flower?"_

_He had been asking her all these strange questions recently as if he had this sudden need to know all those useless details about her. It was odd, especially now. He already knew her better than anyone else so what did all that useless stuff matter? She didn't understand if he truly was curious or if he… didn't know how to talk to her anymore._

"_Dandelion," she said finally. _

"_Dandelions huh? He, he!"_

"_What's so funny?!" she rounded on him._

"_Ah nothing!" he raised his hands defensively. "I just always thought you were more of the exotic flower type, not you know…"_

_Sakura huffed crossing her arms. "There's nothing wrong with dandelions! They're tough to kill and almost impossible to get rid of, but when you stop trying to disembowel them, they're actually kind of pretty in their own way."_

"_So… you like weeds?"_

"_I goddamn love them," she deadpanned. _

_His spine straightened, and he stared at her in shock as it finally started to register that she wasn't talking about dandelions. Her face was burning red, but she didn't back down, didn't look away. For a moment, his eyes had that soft look as he looked at her in wonder, but just as quickly as her hope began to rise, her stomach plummeted as he looked away _again_ and shook his head._

"_I can't."_

_That's all he ever said. No explanation, no reason, no elaboration, just "I can't Sakura-chan" and "We're just teammates." She knew from previous encounters that it was the end of the discussion. No matter what she did or how she pleaded, he wouldn't tell her _why_. It made her blood boil and it made her want to cry, but Sakura did neither._

"_Did you know that up until recent history, people used to pull grass out of their lawns to make room for dandelions and other useful 'weeds' like chamomile or malva? Every part of the dandelion is useful: roots, leaves and flower, and you can eat it, use it to make dye, and some parts of it were used in medicine. It's a shame that more people don't see them that way."_

_He relaxed as she went into lecture mode about the various 'weeds' and how they could be useful, and that soft smile settled across his face as he watched her pace about. Talking made her feel better even if she was only half aware of what she was saying. _

_Why? Why was it always the same answer? She tried to be understanding and patient, she really did, but why didn't he answer her questions? _Why_ couldn't he? Why couldn't they? What wasn't he telling her? _

.

Amazingly, the Hokage did not comment on her recent escapade at the Academy at their meeting the following morning. He merely raised his eyebrow as she took her seat and made some comment about how lovely the weather was this time of year before asking if she was settling in nicely.

Sakura was a bit caught off guard by this; she had at the very least been expecting a strong reprimand for her rough handling of the situation, the Third just smiled at her pleasantly as though he hadn't been the least bit disappointed by this turn of events.

Shrugging off the question, Sakura got straight to business. "Here's the list of traitors Hokage-sama. I keyed the chakra paper to your signature so no one else could read it, and I organized the list by timescale and then listed the offenses committed. You can verify them by mind technique if you like, but I see that Inochi isn't here today…" she trailed off as the Hokage scanned the list.

"I see that one of my pupils is on this list."

"Yes, Orochimaru began to be a… problem in the village after the Third shinobi war. I believe that you were quite resistant to banishing him for his experiments, but after some time, it became apparent that he couldn't be set on the right path, you withdrew his nomination for Hokage and he left shortly after. He became a missing nin, and in time, grew ambitions to destroy Konoha. During my chunin exam, he… poisoned one of my teammates, destroyed half the village before we were able to overthrow his army, and killed the hokage. Other than the nine-tails attack, I can't recall a single other event that left the village in so much tragedy."

"Hmm…" Hiruzen tapped his pipe thoughtfully. "I will consider what you have said, but I may request memory evidence before I take action. He is my student after all."

Sakura bowed her head respectively. "Of course, Hokage-sama. I would not have expected differently."

"I see… and what is your solution to the Uchiha massacre since you have it listed as being under my order?"

"I have been giving it much thought, and I believe the original problem came after the Kyuubi attack which is believed to have been led by Madara. Even though the Uchiha had fought loyally beside the rest of the village, they still fell under suspicion due to the nature of the attack and were pushed into a corner of the village. Feeling ostracized and betrayed, _that_ is when they started planning a coupe. Ano, it is a very sensitive situation, and the only solution I can come up with is to increase their ties to the village."

"Arranged marriages? They won't like that."

"I know, and I think forced marriage is about as low as you can get. But marriages and kids have a way of working on people so that your loyalty goes to your family outside of the clan rather than to the clan exclusively. Perhaps if the first few marriages were arranged between lesser clan members and "suitable" partners, there would be less of a fuss… but even so, I still don't like the idea of arranging anyone's life like that."

"Agreed," nodded the Third, "but we'll keep that idea on the drawing board until we can come up with something more fitting."

And so passed the morning of Sakura's fourth day in old Konohagakure. Making plans with the Third as they struggled to rewrite history, for better or for worse. It was actually how much of her week passed with the Hokage. One week turned into two, two into three, and each day seemed to flow into the next until nearly a month had passed by. It left a bad taste in Sakura's mouth since, despite her spending so much time at the Hokage's office, not much was getting accomplished in regard to the "create a better timeline" plan. That alone frustrated Sakura to know end; she _hated_ running around in circles like a dog chasing its tail.

Occasionally, the Third gave her a bag of candy to take home to her wards after a tedious round of "exactly when did X event happen" and what would be a better approach to X, or what do you think the consequences would be if we did Y instead of Z… and so on.

While Sakura was a passable strategist and gifted with an amazing memory, she didn't know _everything_ like the Hokage seemed to think she did, and quite frankly she was really getting tired of seeing the inside of his office. So it was on the eighth day of being cooped up in the tiny hellhole (and late for lunch _again_ because the Hokage still wanted to iron out the events leading up to Orochimaru's defection _again_), Sakura had all but had it with the Third.

'Look Hokage-sama, I know this is all very important stuff, but you can't keep me locked in here like this or I'll end up snapping on someone. At this rate, I'll probably end punching that annoying ANBU you have following me around half way to Suna."

The Third looked momentarily taken off guard. "ANBU, but…" and then he chuckled, much to the pinket's confusion, "Ah, yes, _him_. Yes, I'll talk to him."

"Okay…" Sakura said still a bit wary of Hiruzen's odd reaction, "Well, I guess my point was that I'd like a mission."

Her companion faced her seriously, all traces of his laughter vanishing. 'A mission?"

"Yes," Sakura shifted, feeling slightly uncomfortable, "I'd like to get out of the village for a while, stop seeing the kid-versions of my friend's parents and, well…I could use the money. For the kids. They could eat a daimyo out of house and home."

Sarotubi looked at her sympathetically, "I always could give—"

"No!" She shouted, half in panic half in anger. No more gifts or presents or debts that had to be paid; she couldn't stand the though of owing anyone else. At the Third's raised eyebrow, she reigned back her irritation and attempted to (calmly) explain, "Thank you, but no. I—I want to earn it."

"I see." The Third leaned back in his seat and studied her, "What kind of ninja are you Sakura-chan?"

"Pardon?"

"What are your strengths, your weaknesses? What areas do you work at? But most importantly, what type of ninja do you want to be?"

"Oh well, wouldn't it be easier for you to watch me spar with someone?"

The older man shook his head. "No, I want to hear what _you_ think."

She thought it was a bit odd way to go about it, but she was sure he had his reasons. After all, there was a reason he was nicknamed "the Professor."

"Alright then. I started out pretty bland where my biggest strength was my chakra control which I could use to enhance my speed and power my punches in battle, but compared to my teammates, I was practically worthless. I went into medical ninjutsu as my way of trying to be useful to them. I'm still not as good as my sensei there, but I have a fantastic knowledge on poisons and antidotes."

She thought for a moment, "Chakra poison too, I guess, but I was kind of a working model for that one." She absentmindedly scratched the scar on her shoulder. Underneath the dense fabric was a three-stripped scar—a reminder from Kyuubi that she was much more human than she liked to believe.

It wasn't long after the Naruto lost control and the Kyuubi left his mark that Naruto started acting odd towards her. She hadn't been ashamed of the scar; in a way she was proud of it, proud that he had marked her, that he had trusted her to be strong enough to take it—but all that changed.

At first she thought it was guilt, but as the days passed into weeks, she knew him well enough to realize that whatever the problem was ran deeper than a scar on her arm. He stopped looking at her, stopped initiating conversations, stopped _everything_. But if she ever tried to confront him about it, he would be gone just like that—a convenient mission, a training trip, a diplomatic meeting with Gaara…

So she started covering it up, wearing long sleeves and hiding the evidence, pretending that she couldn't still feel that thrum of chakra. It hadn't helped much in the end.

If the hokage noticed her rubbing her arm, he made no comment of it. However, it was very likely that he was filing another piece on information away to that invisible file he had on all his shinobi.

"Right," she coughed, "So my taijustu is probably my best fighting skill what with my speed and flexibility. I'm almost strictly a close range fighter. I can deal with mid to long ranged opponents if I can get inside their guard, but if it comes down to a ninjutsu battle, the best I can do is dodge and hope for an opening.

"Overall, I'd say I'm mostly a paper ninja since my greatest strength seems to be formulating strategies and deciphering the best way to take down an opponent. My sensei says I would be a good captain, but I would have trouble getting some of the ninja in my generation to follow me since they all know that they're stronger. My teammates are especially bad about this.

"I'm trained to be a medic nin, but what I want to be is a field ninja. I've always wanted to be out front kicking butt, but since there are so few medics as it is… the best I could do in my time was be a part-time paper ninja when I wasn't busy in the hospital."

Finishing her self-analysis, she pressed her hands together neatly on her lap as though she were waiting for him to give her a lecture or a secondary evaluation. After all, Tsunade would have been more likely to snort, pour herself some sake, and say "_Che. Did I teach you nothing?! If you want to get stronger, then why are you moping around?"_

Contrary to the Godaime, it amazed Hiruzen how the young woman seemed so eager to belittle herself. He had learned through a number of her talks that at some point she had faced Sasori of the red sand (who was already classified as an S-ranked opponent) in combat and came out victorious. Yet when pressed, she simply dismissed any praise as though it were nothing. As though _anyone_ could have done that.

What kind of world had she grown up in where defeating opponents like Sasori _wasn't_ considered impressive or a feat of shinobi prowess? In what kind of time did being strong mean fighting off tailed demons? (a_ genin_ team had taken down the one-tailed for Kami sake!) Were her teammates gods?

He tisked at her, "You forgot one; your greatest strength of all is that no one knows who you are."

Sakura looked away, biting down her retort. She would rather live in a time where everyone knew her name and skills than one where she didn't even exist yet.

"Come back tomorrow Sakura-san," the Hokage said kindly, "I'm sure I'll find you a mission by then."

...

**A/N:** I have exams coming up so updates might be slightly less regular (as in I may post on Friday instead of Thursday), but I'll do my best to keep things on schedule.

As always, please take 16.5 seconds to click review and let me know what you think. :D


	6. Neighborhood Ninja

**Disclaimer:** If someone had asked me to write a story about ninjas, I very much doubt it would have turned out even remotely like the Naruto universe, but who knows, maybe I would have given them pet dragons or something.

…

**Fate's Allotter: Part 1**

**Chapter 6: Neighborhood Ninja **

…

As Sakura approached the door to her apartment, she heard the distinct sound of something exploding. She sighed.

"Sota!" came Mimi shriek from the other side of the wall followed by the sound of pots banging against the floor.

"Cut it out!" one of the boys shouted.

"Wah! Stop pulling my hair!"

"Then you stop trying to cover me in ketchup!"

'_Well_,' Sakura thought with a grimace, '_at least I have understanding neighbors._'

"I'm home," she called as she opened the door hoping against home that no one had smeared jelly on the walls today.

"Sakura!" coursed six excited voices. Several sets of feet pattered against the floor as they rushed to greet her.

Orin, Keli and Isma had decided to stay at the Academy—although they did come over for dinner sometimes—so it was the twins Rori and Dale, Sota the troublemaker, Moro the bookworm, and the two girls, Mimi and Kimi, that came racing out to greet her. And, once again, Itachi.

She really wasn't sure what to think about Itachi's continued presence here especially when it was quite obvious that his father had all but forbidden him to visit her.

Sakura really couldn't blame him either, her apartment was the very definition of a madhouse with the six million (for that's what it felt like) kids running amuck. Her bedroom had been essentially converted to tent world—which was fine since she actually preferred sleeping on the floor these days—and the kitchen was in a perpetual state of disaster. Not even her small army of clones that cleaned and scrubbed the small space down when she took the kids to the park could make much of dent in the disaster zone so after a few days, she resigned herself to only cleaning up the "big" messes (like the spaghetti monster sticking to the ceiling) than try to make her living room look halfway presentable.

…which is exactly the state the Uchiha's found her habitat in when they arrived to pick up their son. Sakura didn't think she would ever forget the look of absolute horror on the clan heads face, and it was really hard for her to hold in her laughter with his wife turning green beside him. For heaven's sake, her kids had only been putting away the laundry (i.e. chucking socks at each other's heads as they argued over what belonged to who) and it wasn't like they were running around naked (well, okay so Kimi was only half-dressed, but Sakura _had_ been coaxing her to take a bath when the Uchihas let themselves in).

Fugaku had looked like he was about to give her a long boring lecture before a sock came flying in his direction and hit him squarely in the nose. Her laughing probably didn't help things either.

There had been a long, heated talk between the three Uchihas in the hallway after that. She hadn't really caught much of it, although the words "responsibility" and "obligation" seemed to get thrown around a lot.

She was surprised when the mother left—more like stormed out—and when Sakura saw the shiny forehead protector tied around Itachi's head, she began to appreciate why.

But Fugaku had merely patted his son on the shoulder, his expression heavy with expectations before he finally addressed the pink haired woman.

"My son has been promoted to a genin, but we feel as though he has not had enough interaction with children his own age…"

To Sakura, it felt like he was reading lines from a script, and that made her scowl. Did he think she was born yesterday? That she was so naïve that she couldn't see the pile of excuses he was piling up around her and _not_ call him out on his bull.

"Uchiha-san, do not insult my intelligence with such blatant lies. Are you going to tell me the real reason you are pawning your son off on me or not?"

Fugaku clenched his jaw and glared at the petite woman as though his fury could make her retract her words. Sakura met his gaze evenly, arms crossed. This hadn't been her first glaring contest with a stubborn mule, and she wasn't about to back down to _him_.

"You will deny my son—"

"No, all of my kids are orphans by circumstance. Why are you making Itachi an orphan by _choice_?"

He looked as though he wanted to hit her, and for a moment she actually though he would. But while she was planning her counterstrike and calculating the ensuing property damage, he pushed Itachi at her so that he was effectively in between them.

"I have high expectations for my son. He will do great things someday."

Then he spun on his heal and left as though that explained everything. What Sakura wouldn't have given for a nearby object like a book or a lamp to throw at that man's retreating back. What was the point of Itachi staying here?

Later that night when Itachi scooted himself between Moro and Sota and grabbed an extra pillow, Sakura really began to wonder what was going on in the Uchiha clan? Why, on the very day he had been made a genin, was he pushed onto her doorstep instead of celebrating his achievement?

Thoughts and theories circled her head like buzzing flies, and as she thought back to his cryptic words in the hallway, all she found herself with were more questions than answers.

.

"Has everyone eaten lunch?" She asked, somewhat afraid to see what kind of disaster was in the sink this time.

"Yeah!" Mimi cheered, "Masked-sama brought us dango, and Sota tried to eat your half, but Kimi and I wouldn't let him."

"Uh-huh she's right!" agreed Kimi enthusiastically.

Sakura blinked. "ANBU-san? Is he still here?"

"Yep yep!" chirped Mimi, "he played with us all morning while you were working, and then he brought us dango!"

"Did he now?"

"Yeah yeah, come see; he's still here!"

Mimi pulled her to the kitchen where indeed the masked ANBU was looking quite domestic with his sleeves rolled up as he was elbow deep in washing her dishes. That mask though was still firmly fixed to his face and his hair hidden under a dark fabric. She pursed his lips. So he still was maintaining the mystery man charade. It was really starting to piss her off.

"Ah! Sakura-san! I hope you don't mind, but since the kids were acting particularly rowdy, I thought I'd drop by and lend a hand."

"What are you doing here?" In her kitchen. Cleaning. "Don't you have some ninja stuff to do?"

"Aw, don't be like that. Today's my day off, and I won't be around for a while after that."

"Where are you going?" Sota asked.

"Ah, just some traveling, beating up some bad people. You know," and she could have sworn he winked at her, "_ninja stuff_."

It sounded like Iwa was on the move again, and ANBU-san or whoever he really was (not that she cared) was going to be part of the counterstrike force. Picking up two clean looking dishtowels she handed Moro and Sota one. "Do you mind helping ANBU-san by doing the drying while I eat?"

Moro and Sota were the oldest of the pack and although their personalities often clashed they could usually be relied upon to do what she asked (unlike the twins who had the attention span of a hyperactive labradoodle).

"Hai!" they smiled.

"I wanna help!" Kimi called from where she sat upon Itachi's shoulders. "Can I help?"

"You're too little Kimi," said Moro somewhat meanly, "You'll just drop the plates."

"Nuh-uh! I can do it!"

"Rori, Dale, Mimi, how about you go put your shoes on," Sakura dictated from the other side of the fridge door, "Itachi can you please help Kimi?"

Itachi nodded as Kimi patted his hair affectionately. "Itachi is the bestest ever! When he ties my shoes they don't ever fall off!" the little girl bragged as they walked out of the kitchen.

The masked man laughed, "They sure are a handful eh hime?"

"I like the noise," Sakura said somewhat distractedly as she continued digging through the fridge. "It keeps me from thinking too much."

"Yeah," Dale added, "Momma's always _thinking_."

Sakura, who had finally located the elusive dango, froze when she heard what Dale had said. _Momma?_ _Me?_

Something warm settled in her chest, and as she watched the boys dry and stack plates, her heart swelled. '_Mama. He called me Mama'_

.

"How come you wear a mask all the time?"

There. She had finally broken down and asked him.

Sakura was currently sitting in a tree, legs dangling, as she watched her kids construct some kind of fort in a nearby pine. She had been itching to ask the ANBU for some time now and had been telling herself not to be rude or prying, but enough was enough. If we was comfortable enough around her to wash her dishes, than he should be comfortable enough to take off that stupid mask.

The ANBU was currently perched on a slightly higher branch than she was and seemed more than content to spread out on his back and stare up at the clouds.

"Why don't you tell people your last name?" he countered.

"I have my reasons."

"Well, so do I."

Sakura huffed. "If I tell you why I don't tell people my family name, will you tell me why you wear a mask?"

"Maybe," his tone was light and teasing, but it irritated her all the same.

"Are you afraid that we'll think differently of you?"

When he didn't answer, she continued softly so the children below wouldn't overhear. "If you have a scar or something, you don't have to be afraid. I'm sure the kids will just think it makes you more cool somehow…"

She trailed of in confusion when the man started laughing. Blushing red, she got the impression that she had just said something stupid. Either she was way off base in her assumptions… or way too close.

"Forget it then," she muttered in irritation, "I guess it doesn't matter."

He stopped laughing, and she felt his eyes lingering on her thoughtfully. "I wear it," he hesitated, "I wear it because I look like someone who died, and I don't want people to be upset when they see me."

Sakura frowned. "Even here? When it's just me and the kids?"

He was quiet for a long time, and she wasn't sure if she was more afraid of hearing his answer than he was about telling her.

"My given name," she broke the uncomfortable silence, "would cause problems here if people knew it. I doubt they would even believe me, but even if they did, it would just cause unnecessary trouble that didn't need to exist. I'm okay with people assuming my family disowned me or whatever stories they come up with, just like you were okay with letting me think you had scars under your mask. It's simply easier this way ne? It causes less problems."

"You could just make one up," he said.

Sakura shrugged, "If I'm going to be a liar either deliberately or by omission, I'd rather that they know I was lying to them." The bells in her hair tinkled as she moved, turning so she could look him directly in the eye. "Besides isn't that the same for you? You could have just dyed your hair or cast a genjutsu, but instead you wore a mask."

His eyes crinkled in a way that after studying Kakashi's eye expression for years, Sakura knew it meant he was smiling. "You give me too much credit. I never even thought of genjutsu."

Sakura smiled as well. "Lucky for you then because while I may be a terrible caster, there are only a handful of genjutsus that I can't see through."

His laugh was nervous and slightly strained. "Yeah, lucky me."

Luckily or unluckily, Sakura's attention was no longer directed at him. "Moro get down from there!"

"But Mooooommm!" Moro whined, "Itachi and Kimi are much higher than I am."

Okay so Itachi was showing off a bit as he walked upside down on a branch, but what was surprising—or rather what _had_ been surprising a week ago—was seeing Kimi hanging upside down as well, chakra firmly attaching her to the tree. Of course, Itachi _was_ still protectively holding her hand, just in case, but these days Kimi walked about on whatever surface she pleased (which, naturally, was whatever roof, wall, or tree that Itachi was in).

"That's because they can control their charka," Sakura replied, "When you can do that, then I'll let you climb any tree you want."

"It's not fair." Moro pouted still not moving from his perch.

Sakura did feel somewhat bad for him. None of the kids—with the exception of Kimi and Itachi—had more than the average civilian's level of chakra. It wasn't that they couldn't cultivate it (for the pinket had also began her ninja career with similar limitations), just that it would be significantly harder for them.

Bells tinkling as she jumped from her perch, she cushioned her fall with chakra so that she landed delicately on her feet. "Do you want me to teach you tree walking?" She asked.

"Really?!"

"Sure," she smiled not at all minding that her little monkeys opted to stay in the tree (although Moro did climb down a few branches). "The first thing you need to know about tree walking is that it takes something special called chakra. Inside of every living being, from the trees to the birds, there is a special energy called chakra. It circulates through our body and helps us to stay healthy, concentrate on homework, and do lots of different things, but when you get a lot of chakra or learn how to manipulate it, you can do a lot of different things with it like climbing trees or jumping really high."

"That's so cool!" Rori and Dale exclaimed simultaneously.

Sakura laughed, "Yes, it's very cool. If you climb down, I can show you what chakra feels like."

Then, she very nearly had a heart attack when she saw Kimi launch from the tree like Sakura had previously, "Like this?!"

Zipping through the branches, Itachi caught her ankle. "You're not ready for that."

Kimi pouted. "But Itachi-nii!"

Sakura coughed. "Yes, I would also prefer it if everyone climbs down the old fashioned way: nice and slow," Sakura said as she made a mental note to never use even the most basic of ninja moves in front of the kids again. She didn't think she could survive any other attempts of imitation.

Once the circus had all gathered back on the ground with Itachi _firmly_ holding onto Kimi this time, the pinket squatted and held out her hand.

When her hand became enveloped in light green light, there were exclamations of "Woah!" and "Awesome!"

"You can touch it," Sakura nodded encouragingly, "sometimes it helps you find your own chakra if you know what it should feel like."

Six hands instantly stacked on top of hers.

"It's warm," Mimi noted, "kinda soft even."

"The feelings you get when you touch someone else's chakra can tell you a lot about them," Sakura explained, "In the ninja world, chakra touching is generally considered very intimate for that reason, and only the people you are close to know what your chakra's nature is. The fact that you can describe it as being 'soft' rather than just warm means you are not too far off from being able to access your own chakra."

"I can't feel anything at all" Sota sulked.

"And that's okay too," the shinobi reassured her charge, "it takes different people different times to access their chakra properly, but that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them. One of my best friends couldn't control his chakra until he very nearly graduated from the academy, and he had more chakra than anyone else I know."

"Really?"

"Really really."

"Cool," Sota smiled.

"I can feel something," said Dale with a look of intense concentration, "tingly… in my arm."

"Hey yeah, me too!" added Rori, "What is it?"

"That's your chakra," Sakura beamed, "it's trying to react with mine. Try visualizing it as a string wrapped around a cord and then pull on it to draw it out."

"Like this?" Kimi asked as her hand began to glow a golden yellow.

"Yes, just like that."

Rori and Dale looked intensely focused, and Sakura was beginning to feel threads of chakra pooling around their palms, first from Rori then from Dale. The fact that either of them were able to draw on their chakra at all even at this age was nothing short of impressive.

"Mama," Kimi called for her attention, "I can feel your heart beat."

Sakura shifted slightly uncomfortable. That was probing a little deeper than she would have preferred, and she really _wasn't_ used to charka-sharing with anyone who could dig that far. She actually hadn't done this since she was a baby-chunin, and even then it was just Naruto so it didn't really count.

"Mama," Kimi said softly, "you feel sad."

"What? No I'm not."

Kimi stared at her, pale green eyes wide with concern. "I can feel it Momma. You hurt right here." She pointed at her chest meaningfully.

Abruptly, the green glow around Sakura's hand disappeared, and several pairs of eyes—brown and green and blue—stared at her worriedly.

"I'm not sad," she defended, "There's just some people I left behind, and I… I miss them."

.

She had asked her neighbor, Mrs. Kirk, to keep an eye on the kids while she was away on her mission, and while the older woman had been somewhat reluctant at first, but having been a ninja once herself, she seemed to understand Sakura unique predicament.

It was rare for female shinobi to go out into the field after they had an established family. It was not that they had given up on being a ninja per say, but that they tended to take on more "closer to home" positions than week-long missions. With the amount of mouths Sakura had to feed though, she couldn't afford the modest salary of patrol or guard duty, and the facts of life were that while field missions had increased danger, they also had much better pay. So that is where Sakura was going: into the field.

Mrs. Kirk looked at her strangely as she held out the small pouch of coins. It had been dwindling in size at an alarming rate, but hopefully it could last for the week or so her mission allotted for.

Shifting nervously from foot to foot, Sakura finally broke down and asked, "What's wrong? Is it not enough?"

"No lass, I think there is coin enough to keep those loudmouths fed for a week or two, but I wonder about this pouch. This symbol," she pointed to what looked to be the eye of a storm, "looks familiar is all."

"Oh!" Sakura rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, "I don't really know it means. A friend gave it to me, and I guess I never bothered to ask."

"You didn't steal it did you?" the older woman deadpanned.

"What no! I'd never do that!"

"Girl," the elderly woman raised herself up, "people don't get assigned to this building without good reason. They have to be in a desperate fix to wind up in these walls, and I know better than to go mixing bad blood with one of the clans if you stole his pouch!"

"I didn't steal it! I swear! I think he just felt bad for me because I had to sell my family's kimono. I honestly didn't even want it, but he won't let me give it back to him."

Mrs. Kirk studied her for a long hard minute as she gripped the coin pouch in her old wrinkled fingers. "Very well," she finally said, "you don't seem like the thieving type, but I had to be sure."

"Thank you," Sakura bowed, "this really means a lot to me."

The elder woman patted her shoulder, "Those are good kids. They do well by you. I'll make sure they're looked after."

.

After diner, she pulled Moro, Sota, and Itachi aside. "I am going away tomorrow, and Mrs. Kirk will look after you. I'll tell the rest of the munchkins later, but I want you to know that I will be going on a ninja mission. It might be dangerous."

"Will you come back?" Moro asked.

It broke her heart that he had grown up in a world where kids his age had to ask those types of questions, but it saddened her even more to know that she didn't have a good answer for him.

"Of course, she'll be back!" Sota shoved the shorter boy. "Don't say stupid things like that."

Sakura smiled softly as she looked at each boy one at a time. "If something happens to me, first go to the Hokage. He owes me a few favors and should be willing to help. If not," Reaching for her hair, she unclipped her beautiful hairpin. It sparkled softly in the glen of twilight as she held it up to them. "This should buy you some time. It is very precious to me so don't sell it unless absolutely necessary, but know that you, all of you, are even _more_ precious to me. So if things get bad, take care of each other, and do whatever you have to for that to happen."

None of the boys moved or reached to take her hairclip from her hand. Noting their distressed expressions, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around them.

Sota was shaking as she stroked his soft fuzzy hair. "Please don't go," came his muffled plea through her shoulder.

"Shh, it'll be alright," she soothed as even Itachi held onto her tightly, "You're my big boys, and I know you can get through anything."

After she had finally managed to calm them down, they agreed on a hiding place for her hairclip where one of the younger kids wouldn't likely snoop around in (the bottom of her sock drawer seemed as good a place as any). The rest of the family didn't take the news any better than the oldest boys. Kimi had cried for nearly an hour when it was explained to her, and she howled and sobbed until she eventually fell asleep, still clutching to Sakura's arm like a drowning man clinging to a life raft.

Needless to say, no one slept very well in the small apartment that night. Sakura tossed and turned, but it was a struggle to get comfortable with all the bodies snuggled up against her. Feeling hot, she kicked off her blankets and nearly knocked Dale's head off his shoulders. Sighing in agitation, at last, she settled down into uncomfortable slumber.

.

_A young man with a billowing white cape had his back to her. For a moment, she thought it was Naruto, but no, he was a good head taller than her teammate, and this man's stance was completely different from the easy posture her teammate usually assumed. _

_He turned to look at her, but for some reason his face was blurry and unfocused. Sakura squinted trying to make it out, but it didn't seem to make any difference. Who was he? _

"_I want to help you," he said softly as he stepped towards her, "but I don't know how to."_

"_I don't need help," Sakura responded reflexively. _

_He seemed to be smiling at her as though he had expected nothing less from her. _

"_We all need help sometime," he contradicted as he walked towards her, "even when we first learn to walk, we need someone there to hold our hands or to catch us when we fall."_

"_Not me," she said taking a step back. He was too close, closer than any stranger had a right to be. "I was born walking and talking all on my own."_

_Who was he? Why did he seem so familiar? Why did she feel as though she knew him, from another lifetime perhaps?_

_As she backpedaled away from him, he stopped trying to get closer and watched as she moved farther and farther away._

_She couldn't quite tell, but he seemed to be smiling at her. "You must be very brave then."_

.

She woke up long before sunrise and carefully peeled off the arms and legs that had been thrown over her during the night. Dressing quickly, she tied her hair to the side, for once using a hair band instead of her favored bell clip.

It was funny how before that stranger pulled her hair to the side she had never considered a side ponytail as an addition to her usual appearance, but it seemed to suit her somehow. She debated braiding it, but in the end decided to leave it alone. If someone grabbed her hair, it would be easier to cut through individual stands than a thick braid.

Making her way to the kitchen, she didn't even bother sparing Itachi a second glance. She had gotten used to him sneaking up on her or showing up at unexpected times, and after a couple of weeks, it was practically expected.

"Morning Itachi," she murmured as she poured herself a glass of orange juice, "sleep well?"

"No."

She winced at his harsh tone, but kept her silence. She should have expected as much.

Something heavy landed on the counter next to her, and picking up the pack, she found that it was full of kunai, throwing stars, and half a dozen exploding tags. She looked up at Itachi in question.

"You should have more than just one kunai to protect yourself."

She smiled at him warmly as she tied the pack to her waist. "Thank you."

He nodded before disappearing out the door, and Sakura knew she didn't have to worry about her kids while she was gone. Itachi would look out for them. All she had to do was hurry back so that every once in a while someone watched after for him too.

She slipped out the front door quietly with a pack of rations slung across her back. She carried significantly less than she had as a genin when her missions led her outside the village, but in many ways she carried a good deal more. Even if she could have afforded a tent, she wouldn't have bought one unless to use it as a decoy. A tent was an all too easy target for enemy shinobi—visible, takes a moment to escape. A solid fire jutsu or one of Tenten's weapon scrolls would be enough to decimate an entire platoon of unsuspecting shinobi, and after having spent most of her adult life paranoid about these kinds of things (seven years of war will do that to you), she would still only ever be comfortable sleeping in a tree or some other nondescript location.

Sometimes this surprised the younger generation, and it was more than one genin team that found their senseis somewhat queer. Shoot, she had been pretty convinced that Kakashi-sensei was a loon for never wanting to stay in a cave (apparently he had this old fear of cave-ins that only got worse with age), but she couldn't really blame him.

After finding a pressure-sensitive explosive tag under her mattress and then subsequently witnessing one of her teammates be blown to bits before she could warn him in time, Sakura became rather _uncomfortable_ with the concept of sleeping in beds. So in retrospect, Kakashi's fear of caves wasn't so unreasonable anymore.

It saved her the trouble of having a few extra pounds in her pack, and at the very least, it wouldn't slow her down in the event of a scuffle. Sometimes you just ended up carrying less after having to learn how to carry more, but that's just life she supposed.

The morning air was cool on her skin, and the pink-haired shinobi appreciated the calm kind of quiet that spread over the village in the early morning hours. That peacefulness was one of the reasons she never complained about waking up early. It was a reminder that no matter what terrible situation she was in or what kind of night she had, the sun would still rise. As long as she was still breathing, there would always be time to correct her mistakes and clean up the mess.

The Hokage's office was emptier than usual since many of the secretaries and lobbyists would not be arriving for several more hours, but rather than having the soothing effect that walking through the village had, the stillness of the Hokage tower made her uneasy. Picking up her pace, Sakura rushed past the shadows least they reach out and grab her.

.

While Minato was not the type of ninja to be late per say, he wasn't exactly the kind that was early either. He was always exactly on time, neither a second sooner nor a second later. It was one of those little things that people found either endearing or frustrating (since arriving on time is almost the same as being late in the world of shinobi). Given his reputation, it was generally considered that Minato would show up where he was needed but only precisely when he was needed. Then he would be gone again, off to some other appointment he couldn't be late to.

Today was no exception as Minato arrived at the Hokage tower precisely at the designated time for debriefing. As usual, he would be the last to arrive, but the Third (after a quick confirmation with the clock) could only sigh. He couldn't technically reprimand him if he wasn't actually late. As a general rule, the blond haired shinobi found this type of reaction amusing, but the customary smirk was absent as his attention was quite fixed on the other occupant of the room.

Emerald eyes started back at him equally shocked to see him there. Some part of her mind had convinced herself that their encounter the other day had been part of her imagination and that she, in her time of distress, had projected Naruto's image on the masked ANBU or some other ninja that had been in the vicinity.

Hiruzen's eyes darted between the two, curious about the unusual reaction, but whatever conclusions he drew, he kept them to himself.

"Where's your hairclip?"

Sakura shook herself—_he isn't Naruto_—and forcefully turned herself so she facing the Hokage rather than him. "I can't wear it during missions. It makes too much noise."

Minato looked frustrated. He didn't want her outside of the village where she could get hurt; she had six kids (+/- Itachi) to worry about. He had been on the verge of pointing that out when he realized that it may very well be _because_ of the kids that she was here to begin with.

If that was the case, there wasn't an argument in the world he could use against her (especially given her reaction the last time he left her some money). If he had learned anything about the pink-haired girl over the past month, it was that she was stubborn to a fault and would not ask for help, didn't want help, and would outright refuse help for Kami knows why. Maybe she was afraid of being seen as weak or looking like someone that needed to be rescued, but the ironic part was, the more she tried to act all tough and brave, the more he wanted to step in and protect her.

He grunted in agitation finding no easy solution. Perhaps it was for the best. Maybe going out in the field and beating the snot out of someone would help her solve whatever problem she had. Plus, he reassured himself, by the looks of things they would be going on a joint mission together, and he could watch her back in case she landed in more trouble than she could handle.

"This is a two pronged mission," the Third began now that their attention was focused back on him, "You two will be part of the first team whose job is to draw Iwa's attention towards Fort Orogon and to lure them into attacking if you are able. The second prong will consist of Team 13. Their mission will be to destroy the Kannabi Bridge, and I expect Kakashi to lead the team as the final part of his jounin exam. The main objective is to—"

"Pardon me Hokage-sama" Sakura interrupted, "but did you say the _Kannabi_ Bridge?"

"That is correct."

She looked startled as though she had just seen a ghost.

"Then I, I must request a transfer to the second team!"

Minato was stunned to say the least. Since when did ninja get to pick and chose their missions? He didn't even know you _could_ turn down missions once they were assigned, and the Third was generally very particular about which shinobi he sent out on a given mission.

'_Is she that afraid of me?'_ He wondered as his eyes wandered over to the pinket. She didn't so much as glance at him

"Hokage-sama," Sakura continued oblivious to the blond's reaction, "you know my…_ intuition_ about these things."

After a moment of contemplation the Third nodding his head in agreement. "I trust your judgment. Do you have any concerns regarding Kakashi leading the mission?"

If the sun-haired shinobi had been confused before, now he was utterly bewildered. What was happening here? Since when did Hiruzen ask for advice on assigning missions?

"No, that's fine," Sakura replied, "I can double as his exam proctor."

"Very well. You agree to this Minato?"

He hesitated a moment, still not feeling entirely at ease. He tried to meet her eyes, tried to figure out what she was thinking, but she was doing that thing again where she would look over his shoulder, at the ground, or anywhere else but at him. After a moment, her expression turned somewhat irritated as though by hesitating, he was doubting her skill.

Finally he sighed. "Hai, Hokage-sama. My team can handle it."

"Good," Hiruzen nodded. "Dismissed."

.

It didn't take Sakura more than 2.4 seconds to escape from the Hokage tower (via window because she's a shinobi, and because she never uses the door unless the kids are watching her).

Minato lingered behind watching as the last of her pinks strands disappeared from sight. He had always been perceptive. Even as a child, he had a certain fascination with watching people, how they moved, how they spoke, what reasons they gave for their decisions.

His mother had thought he was odd when he could sit so still for so long and just _watch_. He was patient and understood that if he just _listened_ long enough and kept his mind open, he could eventually figure out what was happening. Not just how but _why_ people acted the way they did. He wanted to understand.

"She's not from Whirlpool is she?"

The Hokage smiled indulgently. "No, she isn't."

"Not Cloud either."

Puzzle pieces, if you waited long enough, you could begin to put them together.

"I'm afraid not," the Third replied looking amused. '_You could just ask her_,' his eyes seemed to say.

"She's afraid of me," Minato said as a way of explanation, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration, "I think she lost someone, and I remind her of him."

Hiruzen set down his pipe looking over the young man thoughtfully. "There are only two things Sakura-chan is afraid of: the past and the future. If you can disassociate yourself from the former, perhaps she will let you be part of the latter."

…

**A/N:** Sorry for the delayed update. I'm pretty sure my brain exploded after all the exams, and thankfully I just finished my last one. I'm going to try to stick with the weekly updates over the summer, but I'm not sure what my work schedule is going to look like yet so it might be touch and go… no worries though, I'll keep posting chapters as quickly as I can.

Thanks for all the positive encouragement everyone! You're the best readers/reviewers an author could ask for!


	7. In Dark Forests

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, I would have made Sakura a ninja with healing abilities rather than a medic with some ninja abilities

…

**Fate's Allotter**: Part 1

**Chapter 7**: In Dark Forests

…

The goings was slow as Sakura was painfully reminded that while chunin are faster than genin, even fast chunin's speed is far beneath that of jounin. Sometimes, she just felt like grabbing the three brats by the scruff of their necks and dragging them the rest of the way, but she was pretty sure their sensei, the Naruto copy, would have some complaint about that.

Sakura had tried to avoid him as much as possible, usually putting the squabbling boys between them, but when the time came for the company to separate, he very deliberately pulled her aside.

Then when he finally had her alone and away from the kids, he just stood there at a loss for words. He swallowed and cleared his throat, but he still didn't speak and kept staring at her like he was trying to decipher some complicated formula.

Sakura wasn't a rookie; even though she hadn't had a genin team of her own, she did have to partner up with someone else's team when their sensei was hospitalized, needed elsewhere, or otherwise indisposed. He didn't need to give _her_ a speech.

"I get it," she said for him, "I've lost people too. I'll take care of them."

The green-eyed ninja still had trouble looking at him, but she did so now, staring straight into his eyes without backing down or flinching away. She wanted him to see that she was serious and that she meant it.

She tried not to think about how vivid his eyes were or how they just seemed to draw her in. Perhaps if she hadn't been standing so close, she never would have noticed, but his eyes were indeed different from Naruto's. Whereas Naruto's eyes were blue through and through, Namikaze's eyes had a light green rim around the center, pale like the underside of the leaf. As one moved away from the pupil, the green became mixed with streaks of blue and white that got darker and deeper and bluer until at the very edge it was sharp like a wave cresting over the shore.

She watched as those eyes hardened until that flash of green disappeared, and only blue, firm and unyielding, remained.

"I want you _all_ to come back safe."

And with that, he spun away from her and rejoined the other three.

.

Under the cloak of darkness, the shadows stirred. Even within the relative safety of a village like the Hidden Leaf, night had a certain amount of beckoning for the souls of a darker nature. Night brought a new kind of danger when good men slept and bad men tended to feel less… compliant.

On the third floor of a rather nondescript apartment building, a shadow pressed against the cool glass of a window as chakra threads reached through the crack to pry open the lock. Deft fingers pulled the pane up without so much of a whisper. The shadow slid into the room, silent and cunning, and observed the tents of pillows and sheets that were scattered about the somewhat cramped bedroom. Dark eyes crawled their way over to a little girl that slept soundly with her golden hair splayed over the carpet.

The shadow smiled and stepped towards the tiny girl. Something in the air shifted, and the shadow reflexively dodged. _Thwack!_ A dark kunai embedded itself in the wall next to his head as demonic red eyes glared at him from across the room.

"Just because the princess is away does not mean you can take what is precious to her."

"My, my Itachi-kun. Haven't we grown fierce?" The shadow pressed his fingers to his lips as though he were attempting to hide a smile.

Itachi didn't respond to the man's taunts. He simply pulled out another kunai.

"You think you can fight _me_ boy!?"

"The only reason you are not dead," the boy stated tonelessly, "is because seeing blood on the wall would upset the others."

The shadow man sneered and his chakra spiked in anger. Mimi whimpered at the evil aura, Dale and Rori groaned in their sleep, and Kimi's eyes shot open.

Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the furious chakra vanished.

"Kimi-chan," the shadow cooed, "I have been looking everywhere for you dear."

Itachi flashed to her side, standing protectively between her and the man by the window. "Leave." The comas in his eyes spun and his muscles were coiled tightly ready to spring.

"Very well," the shadow relented, "but even you have to sleep sometime _Uchiha_."

The man dissolved into a cloud of smoke that escaped out the window, and Itachi, his eyes still red and glowing, slammed the pane shut after him.

"Itachi-nii?" The girl with the golden charka was sitting up now wide-eyed and worried.

Deactivating his Sharingan, he knelt at her side. Her hair spilled over her shoulder in a wave of gold. "Why was he looking for me?" she asked, "I don't know any scary guys."

"Don't worry," Itachi said soothingly, "I'm here to protect you, no matter what happens. I promise."

.

Sakura was starting to suspect that the exchange of kunai prior to a departure was some sort of ritual in this time period as the blond-haired jounin handed Kakashi a three-pronged kunai.

"Consider it an early graduation gift." Minato smiled.

A flicker of chakra appeared near the tree line, fluttering like a heartbeat. Sakura shifted slightly as though she were only stretching as she discretely took stock of their surroundings. One Iwa nin, chunin gear, binoculars indicated he was a scout. She couldn't sense any other chakra signatures nearby (of course, that didn't mean they weren't necessarily _there_).

Casually sauntering back to the group, she made a show of lightly smacking Obito upside the head, "What did I tell you about being so loud? _4 O'clock. One chunin, scout_."

Obito played along nicely, "Oi! Why are you picking on me Sakura-san? _Beta-formation?_ Kakashi-baka is just as annoying as me."

"Yeah, right dobe. _I'm point_," said Kakashi with a roll of his eyes, "No one-_Rin left_-And I mean, no one-_Obi right_-Is as annoying-_Saku, circle around_-as you are Obito."

"Bleh!" Obito stuck out his tongue. "I'm gonna take a leak then if you're gonna be like that." He wandered off to the right.

Rin wrinkled her nose. "Gross."

"Ah Rin-chan," Sakura said, "let me show you this herb plant I found while we're waiting." The girls started walking off to the left as Sakura began listing medicinal properties and how, in a pinch, it made a great burn slave.

The moment the two girls vanished from sire, the cheerful chatter vanished, and the two girls split. Sakura flash-stepped to maneuver behind the scout while Rin took up a position in the trees.

As soon as his team had enough time to get in position, Kakashi said, "Later sensei." Before rushing straight at the scout.

Minato sighed at his student's rash attack. Sometimes he forgot that despite their skill, his students were still young and hasty, and while he was sure they would be great ninja one day, they still had much to learn.

Twenty clones sprang into existence in the trees surrounding the scout as Kakashi rushed forward, a ball of lightening forming in his hand. '_Time to test my chidori!_'

Obito and Rin provided covering fire as Kakashi made quick work of the clones. Sakura had circled around the back of the skirmish, but for the moment seemed content to watch. It was strange seeing Kakashi, a man that she had essentially considered to be immortal in her youth, leave so many openings in his attack. Perhaps it was the nature of this early-stage chidori (early because it crackled rather than _chirped_), but perhaps Kakashi recognized this flaw which was why he had his teammates covering for him

Even so, his rather brash headlong approach left something to be desired. Even a dull-witted shinobi could pick up on his delayed reaction time and how the right side of his body was exposed when he made to attack.

While another clone attacked Obito from the ground, the boy stumbled back in surprise leaving his guard _wide open_. Sakura was already shifting to meet said shinobi, but then Minato was there, dispersing the clone with a quick kunai before relocating Obito next to Rin.

"You must always be on guard," he chided.

Yet, even though the attack was unsuccessful, it still had the desired effect of separating Kakashi from his kunai cover, and when the scout reached for his sword, an indication that he was more than aware of the weak point in the prospective jounin's attack, simultaneously, the two adults moved.

Minato, however, was faster.

Pushing off from the tree, Sakura was surprised to see that the blond jounin was suddenly _there_, hauling Kakashi away from a would-be death sentence. A burst of red erupted from the teen's shoulder as the katana sliced through the bicep.

Sakura was already airborne when she realized what position Minato had put himself in. He had left his torso completely exposed to the scout, and although it would take a few seconds for the Iwa shinobi to flip his katana around, he was already moving to correct his stance. Meanwhile, his other hand was reaching for a kunai.

She couldn't block the strike—not from her position—but if Minato let himself fall backwards on the ground, he could escape the counterstrike. Of course, sprawled on the ground was a dangerous place to be with Rock ninja running around, but that's where Sakura would take over.

Her choice was simple. She would either attract the enemy nin's attention, engaging him long enough so that the other two could get away. Or, while she still had the element of surprise, she could instead deal a more lethal blow.

All this, she analyzed in the split second it took her to fall. Having reached her decision, she sighed as she shifted midair. Killing blows always stuck to her heart like taffy, thick and heavy and difficult to remove, but she would do what she had to. She always had.

She lost sight of Minato again as she slid behind her target. The scout tensed as he finally sensed her behind him, and his kunai halted midflight. Summoning chakra to her hand, her fingertips brushed against the back of his neck. Had it been any other situation, the gesture would have seemed intimate like the caress of a lover, but with her expression grim and her eyes over bright, it was hard to mistake her intentions.

The man gurgled wetly as his legs gave out and he collapsed in the waterlogged mud. Sakura sighed again closing her hand in a fist as though she was angry at it. Looking up, she noted that Minato had dragged Kakashi a greater distance away than she had anticipated, and now the team of chunin (and one prospective jounin) stared at her curiously.

She shifted, uncomfortable with the attention.

"What was that?" Obito asked.

"Chakra scalpel," she said by way of explanation. When it was clear she wouldn't be elaborating, the other three turned back to their sensei.

In a way, she was glad for the scout's appearance as it showed her team what she was capable of, but it unfortunately showed _her_ what her teammates were not capable of. Team thirteen had too many clashing personalities, and Rin simply wasn't a large enough presence herself to balance the endless feud between Kakashi and Obito (as Sakura had balanced her team by punching and screaming—mostly at Naruto-but still loud enough to get her point across and make them work together).

Once again, the usual scene played out like a bad drama. Kakashi had called Obito a crybaby, and in turn, Obito accused his teammate of being reckless and a careless leader. Meanwhile, Rin just stood in the middle, and her attempts to pacify the two boys were either outright ignored or used as ammunition to further fan the flames.

Sakura sighed as the argument dissolved into an all-out shouting match and wondered why she bothered killing the scout when undoubtedly every ninja within a square kilometer could hear Obito's rant about Kakashi's lack of leadership potential. Caught in the middle, poor Rin looked as though she was ready to cry.

"Alright, that is enough," Minato sternly cut in, "you both have a lot to learn about what it means to be a ninja. Being a team is more than just watching each other's backs. It's realizing you are stronger together than you are as three individuals.

"Your goal should be to protect Konoha, and you can only do that by standing next to your teammates, not by bringing them down."

.

The team was much quieter after Minato departed, and Sakura wondered if they were taking his lesson to heart. She hoped they had, but she also knew that these kinds of lessons took time and, unfortunately, were the kind more readily learned in hard situations rather than by stern lectures.

Her team had been perpetually re-learning that lesson. First in their mission to wave, then again during the chunin exams. She knew first hand how hard it could be to completely put your goals, dreams, ambitions aside and put your team above yourself. It wasn't about trust but faith that they would be strong enough to complete the mission. Ironically, Sakura had been the very last to learn this.

Yet, It was Sasuke, the one that was the most professional of the three of them, who had been the first to forget it. Sometimes she wondered what it said about her and about her team that it was only after the incident on the roof—when she was willing to risk everything, her very life, to keep her boys from ripping each other apart—that she had finally, truly lost them. The day she ran in front of their attacks, the day she would have died to save her team, was the last time, the very last time, they could have been Team seven.

Not the original Team Seven, not the remodeled or remade Team Seven, but just a team of genin without a blemish to their name or a history that was not only well-known in Konoha but across the shinobi nations. In bingo books from Iwa, Suna, and Sound, there was an asterisk next to her name and list of skills, a note that she had once been a member of the infamous Team Seven of Konoha.

And a former teammate of the greatest traitor in history.

.

Sakura first got that prickling sensation that someone was watching them shortly before the team crossed a small stream. A brief burst of chakra flickered across her awareness, and Kakashi, also sensing the disturbance, held up a hand for the others to stop.

A flare of chakra was usually an indication that someone was performing a jutsu, and when she didn't notice any immediate change in scenery or signs of an incoming attack, Sakura's first reaction was to form a counter to a genjutsu. She was aware of eighteen ways to counter various illusion techniques, but only twelve of which that wouldn't cause bodily harm to herself or her teammates. After she had gone through six with no result, she debated using the old-fashioned explosive tag technique, but in the end decided against it.

Covert operations meant no flashy moves and not using any jutsus or explosives that might attract attention.

A rustle of fabric had all of their heads turning to the East, but when no one came into sight, the four only tightened their stance.

Sakura had run through ten genjutsu cancellation techniques by now, and was beginning to grow concerned that this was something else entirely. There were only a few illusionary jutsus that she would have difficulty countering or breaking, none of which were in the known repertoire of Iwa shinobi.

'_So genjutsu's out. What's left?'_

Recalling the vague lesions in her Academy history class, Sakura recalled that the second Tsuchikage was especially renowned for his invisibility jutsu. In fact, his camouflaging ability was so great that he had the reputation of being a "non-person," a title which he gained for having neither detectable chakra nor an appreciable physical form.

But that was the thing; it _wasn't_ a genjutsu. Perhaps it was a family technique or a hard-earned skill, but it was nearly impossible to detect by the usual methods.

Glancing at her feet, Sakura noted the ripples in the water with a grim expression.

'_It seems I am right; someone's trying to sneak up on us. But,'_ she thought to herself, '_whoever he is, he is sloppy.'_ She then began the meticulous task of tracing the ripples back to their source, hoping the enemy nin wouldn't make his move before she could.

Unfortunately for the four leaf ninja, the camouflage specialist was not working alone.

Just as she was making some headway in pinpointing her opponent's movements, sharp bamboo poles rained on their heads, intending to impale those standing in the creek. The four Leaf nin scattered.

"Grand fireball jutsu!" Obito shouted as a ball of flame appeared above their heads.

Sakura, being taller than the others, had to duck out of its range as the fireball blasted the bamboo into harmless bits of charcoal. In the commotion, Sakura lost track of the ripples from their unseen foe, and she pulled out one of Itachi's kunai. Being the only adult, they would most likely think that she was the team's jounin sensei. Logically, they should target her first.

Except they didn't.

Rin screamed.

.

The trio turned to see the brunet had been captured, her weapon packs sinking into the creek from where they were torn from her. The Iwa nin sneered, "I'll just be taking this one, ja!"

"Hey!" Obito shouted, but the man threw down an exploding tag, and while the team leapt out of its range, the burly man made his escape.

With a growl, Sakura leapt after him.

"Wait!" Kakashi shouted, and the pinket halted, one foot on the bank, the other still in the creek.

"We have to complete our mission," Kakashi stated, "It is our duty as shinobi."

"We aren't leaving Rin behind!" Obito shouted in disbelief.

"We have to," Kakashi replied, "You know the rules. The mission comes first."

"Forget your stupid rules!" Obito growled as he grabbed Kakashi's vest and shook him, "This is _Rin_!"

The jounin prospect stared back coolly, nonplused by his teammate's aggressive behavior. "Those who break the rule," he quoted, "are trash."

"And those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash!" Obito shouted back shoving Kakashi into the creek, "If I'm going to be trash either way, I'd rather break the rules! And if that somehow makes me anything less than a real shinobi, then I'll crush all of the so-called "real" shinobi!"

With that, he disappeared into the forest after the Iwa nin, not looking back to see if either of the other two followed.

Kakashi turned to Sakura with a note of pleading. "We have to destroy the bridge. Sensei explained how critical this is."

Sakura stared at the young Kakashi trying to understand how this stubborn rule-loving bigot became her perpetually late, no-one-gets-left-behind sensei. It was like looking at two completely different people, and if she had to listen to the dialog alone, she never would have pegged _her Kakashi_ as being the cowardly scum that left his comrades behind.

.

_At sixteen, she stood alone in the middle of an icy field, her cloak billowing around her as she bit her lip and tried to reign in her emotions. She had failed. Again._

_At least this time, there was only one other witness to her failure, and he put a comforting hand on her shoulder as she watched her last teammate walk away._

_Again. _

"_Regardless of what happened, you did the best you could. I understand that now… you broke the rules for all our sakes – You know I'm proud of you…"_

_She didn't deserve his comfort; she didn't deserve anything. _

"_He called me a liar Kakashi-sensei," her voice hitched, "He didn't believe me."_

"_After everything he's been through, can you blame him? Everyone's been lying to him this past year, even if unintentionally, and I don't blame you for what you did… or tried to do."_

"_But that's just it!" her voice wavered, her emotions breaking through her calm façade like ice crackling on a warm day. "I _wasn't_ pretending! Maybe I should have been, but I didn't."_

_Kakashi blinked as his grip on her shoulder tightened. "So all this time…"_

"_I wasn't lying," she spat bitterly into the snow. "I never lied. Not to him."_

_Her sensei sighed not knowing what to say to that kind of confession. "You did the best that you could," he tried._

_Sakura shoved herself away from him, her face red and angry, her fists clenched and shaking. "Well that wasn't good enough! I should have just left it alone! Even if they killed each other at least the other one would be home and safe, but because of me," she stared dejectedly at the ground, "because I just had to throw myself in the middle, now they're both gone and he'll _never_ believe me."_

_Kakashi stepped forward then, giving her a stern shake._

"_Even though you broke the rules, even though you stepped in the middle, you are not scum Sakura no matter what anyone else might say. Because of you, they're both alive. Sometimes I think that you are the only one of my cute students who actually listened to me, the only one who cares enough about her teammates to actually put them before an outdated system."_

"_But I failed sensei. They're both gone now."_

"_No, I'm the one who failed you."_

_Sakura stared up at her sensei, still a head taller than her, in shock and disbelief._

_His hands dropped to his sides and his shoulders bent in shame. "Had I been a proper sensei, had I ground it into your heads what being a team meant, what it meant to be a ninja, none of this would have happened. If I did a better job of looking out for you, Sasuke never would have had his run-in with Orochimaru and this mess could have been avoided. So really," he shrugged, "this whole mess lies on my shoulders, not yours._

"_You're a true shinobi Sakura, and I'm not saying that because of your accomplishments. At the end of the day, it's not about how strong _you_ are, but what you fight for. You have always had your teammates in mind, and no one can fault you for that. I am only disappointed in the others, that they can't seem to see what they are throwing away."_

"_Eh," Sakura wiped her eyes while Kakashi pretended not to notice, "Boy's are stupid ne?"_

_She made to return back to base camp, but once again he stopped her. "You aren't scum Sakura. You didn't abandon your teammates, __**they**_ _did. What you did may not have been easy, and I very much doubt that it was, but you kept them _alive. _That counts more than all the false promises and easy dreams ever could. I'm proud of you."_

_And because he so rarely gave praise and because he was Kakashi, she believed him, and was so glad that he at least agreed with her. Being a shinobi meant making the hard decisions, and being a teammate meant watching each other's backs. _

_So that's what they would do, even if it meant her boys walking and only Sakura and Kakashi doing the watching. _

.

Disgusted, she wanted to slap him. How many lectures had he given _her_? How many times did Kakashi pound teamwork into their training exercises. How did this Kakashi become _her_ Kakashi? How dare he talk about rules and regulations when, as an adult, he disregarded them and even intentionally disobeyed them at every turn?

How _dare he_—then, she stopped herself. This wasn't her Kakashi, just another stupid kid who thought he knew what being a ninja really meant. The fury drained from her eyes as she forced her breathing to calm.

When Sakura spoke, her voice was composed as though she understood his argument, but her tone was cold and left no room for argument. "You can fight all the wars in the world, you can fight until your dying day, you can fight every opponent and overcome every challenge that lies before you, but unless you have a cause, unless you fight for something, your life will be worthless.

"My _motivation_ was my teammates. They keep me fighting, and I am strongest when they are at my side. My _purpose_ is to protect my precious people, and my _strength_, my _drive_, comes from my will to keep them safe. If you do not have that, if you don't have a cause, then you might as well be fighting blind.

"Konoha may be more than Obito and Rin, but Obito and Rin are part of Konoha. _Your_ Konoha. Betraying them is betraying your home."

In many ways it was all the things she had wanted to say to Sasuke, but had never had the chance to. It was what she wanted to shout at Naruto's back the day he left her behind in the snow.

"I will never abandon my friends, no matter what. I will protect them with my life! That is my ninja way!"

Turning away from Kakashi, the wannabe jounin, she tore off after Obito, her heart pounding like thunder and hair streaking behind her like a bolt of lightening.

…

**A/N:** Alright, we are coming to an end of the Part 1 arc. I want to note that for the record, I do not think that Sasuke is the "greatest traitor in shinobi history," but this is the first point where Sakura's past really begins to deviate from cannon. More details on the Sasuke development in future chapters.

Again, thank you, thank you, thank you for all the wonderful reviews and feedback. I can't tell you how much this means to me.


	8. Rescue

**Fate's Allotter:** Part 1

**Chapter 8**: Rescue

…

"Obito," Sakura whispered, "Can you use your Sharingan?"

The pair were hiding behind a rock formation at the edge of the bamboo forest, eyeing the cave where they could hear Rin's muffled screaming. The burly ninja they faced earlier was stationed outside the cave looking relatively bored as he played guard.

Sakura could only sense three chakra signatures besides Obito's and her own, but that didn't mean there weren't more shinobi out there. She wasn't a natural born sensor so she couldn't detect shinobi who had mastered the art of chakra suppression.

Which is why it was really convenient to have an Uchiha on hand that could verify that number.

"N-no," Obito replied, "I haven't developed it yet."

…Or it would have been. The pinket sighed.

As she struggled to come up with an appropriate strategy that wouldn't leave them in a potentially worse situation, the young Uchiha looked beyond petrified. Looking ready to cry, Obito very much looked the part of a green newbie genin who had just been thrown into his first real combat situation.

Sakura sincerely hoped that he wouldn't throw up on her. Based on her companion's face, it certainly wasn't a far off possibility.

Sakura rang her hands in agitation trying to come up with a plan. She might have stood a chance taking the Iwa nin on with her taijutsu and chakra-sensing capabilities, but the long sword on the ninja's back made her nervous.

If a long sword was his weapon of choice, it defiantly put them in a tight situation. Sakura was a close range fighter, and her weapons reflected that. Sure, she could deal with a sword or two as needed, but with this kind of opponent when she couldn't see the blade… how much did she trust her reflexes and instincts?

A Sharingan would have been the perfect tool for fighting a ninja with cloaking abilities, but Obito didn't look as though he were about to grow a pair just for convenience's sake.

Of course, a pair of Sharingan would be nice too.

They also had to be careful with their attacks because they didn't want the cave to collapse on Rin either—so no fireballs or chakra-laden punches. Another disadvantage.

But despite the obvious problems with their situation, neither Sakura nor Obito seemed intent on backing down. Rin's pained cries only fed their determination.

"Right," Sakura whispered, "We need to get him away from the cave. How good are you with traps?"

"Rin was the best, but I'll do it," he nodded with resolve.

Sakura inclined her head. "How much time?"

"Five minutes for a basic spring release, Six or seven if you want it cloaked in genjutsu," Obito whispered back.

"I'll give you as much time as I can," Sakura promised, "but work fast."

Performing a few quick hand seals, Sakura bathed the valley with the cave in a wave of her chakra.

Water-types were rare in the land of fire with only one or two appearing every few generations. It made finding a reliable teacher a challenge so much so that it was almost easier to garner techniques from elemental scrolls than try to convince a missing nin from Kirigakure to take on a pupil. As such, Sakura's elemental jutsus were vastly underdeveloped for most shinobi her age, but she had managed to master the most basic skills: _Hiding in the Mist technique!_

She rarely used this jutsu since it tended to be as detrimental to her teammates as it was to her opponents, but in a one-on-one battle when she faced an enemy who specialized in invisibility, this method was ideal. At this elementary stage, her mist technique was more chakra than water, which while not ideal in most situations, actually served to her advantage in this particular case. With her chakra saturating the air, the Iwa nin couldn't hide for long.

'_There!'_

Sakura lunged forward, slashing down diagonally with Itachi's borrowed kunai. Poof. '_A clone? Then where…_'

Sakura dropped to the ground as a katana swung at her neck.

'_Che, should've known he'd get around such a basic technique.'_

Since she was already next to the ground, a sweeping kick seemed in order. She smirked as her boot struck home only to frown when this figure too popped out of existence.

Sakura crouched, carefully sweeping through the chakra signatures within her mist. Five, clones most likely. Perhaps he was hoping to wear her down with clones before sliding in to finish her off or maybe he was the type to use his clones as a distraction while he studied her skill set or set up a trap.

Not ideal, but it wasn't beyond her capabilities. As much as she hated going up against an unknown opponent, she comforted herself with the fact that her abilities were equally a mystery to him.

Even so when this was over, she was definitely investing in a wakizashi or a tanto at the very least. Shoot, even Kakashi's arm guards when come in handy now. While she had a slight edge in speed on the other nin, his sword automatically gave him a solid range to work with, and Sakura would have to be particularly cautious when she made a move to get under his guard.

Reaching into her pouch, she briefly considered an explosive tag before returning it to its place. No, it was still too risky with their given proximity to the cave. Instead, she took out three throwing stars. With a thought, two water clones appeared beside her also holding three ninja stars. The first Sakura would take the two on the left, one of which she was pretty sure was the original, and her clones would take care of the other three.

With a brush of chakra the three Sakura's separated. The pinket rushed though the smoke filled haze as her first target vanished with her throwing star in his gut. She felt two more disperse as her clones charged the burly katana wielder.

Appearing suddenly from the fog, the Iwa nin smirked as she saw her. The air vibrated as the sword slicing through the mist, but Sakura was already airborne. A chakra fueled leap propelled her above the katana's sweep, and as she flipped over the Iwa-nin's head, she had a moment of satisfaction at seeing her opponent's expression of shock before her charkra-filled fingers brushed against his scalp.

_Pop!_

Sakura swore. She had been played for the fool, fighting shadow clones while the real shinobi chased down her teammate. With a growl, she leaped back to where she had last seen Obito with her one surviving clone hot on her heals.

It was hard to miss the blood-splattered kunai on the ground, and the sight of it only caused her fury to grow.

'_I swore to protect them!_'

Where her feet landed, small craters appeared in the ground by the force of her stride as she zipped through the bamboo at a furious pace. She was a blur of movement, a flash of pink there and gone again.

More blood, enough now that she could easily follow the trail.

Up ahead, a body was slouched over—Kakashi—his hand pressed against a gaping wound on his face that was bleeding profusely. Meanwhile, Obito stood over him, goggles fogged so she couldn't see his eyes.

She was almost _there_, no more than a second away, when she saw the grass flatten behind Obito. She had no time to call out a warning before the air swished, as a weapon cut through it.

Blood drizzled on the ground next to Obito's feet, and Sakura quickly changed course, scrambling to put herself between the attacker and Kakashi before the next strike. Landing in a defensive crouch, she was finally at an angle to appreciate what had happened, and when she did, her mouth hung open.

It _wasn't_ Obito's blood. The Uchiha's kunai had buried deeply into the Iwa nin's chest, sliding between ribs, slicing through muscle, and impaling the heart. Looking as stunned as Sakura, the burly man coughed once before slumping to the ground and nearly barreling into Kakashi.

By the looks of things, the trap had only been half formed by the time the Iwa-nin made his move, and by what Sakura could gather from the crying Obito and the relatively shell-shocked Kakashi was that the grey-haired boy had made his appearance then, blocking what would have been a fatal blow with his tanto. At some point in the ensuing scuffle, Obito had awoken his Sharingan and Kakashi had…

Kakashi had lost his eye.

"I'm not sure if I can heal it," Sakura admitted when she finally coaxed his hand away so she could examine the damage.

The eye was a complicated organ, more so than most people realized. It probably had more nerves dedicated to it—nerves for the muscles that allowed for precise movements, contracting the pupil, dilating the pupil, focusing the lens on near or distant targets, seeing light, seeing shapes and color, interpreting those shapes and color—than any other single organ. It wasn't something she could just slap a band-aid over and expect it to get better.

But still, she placed her hand over the wound and let her chakra flow into it. At the very least it would stop the bleeding.

When she was finished, she wrapped a bandage around his eye. "Best not to use it for now," she said gently as Obito hovered over her shoulder like a nervous hen, "I don't know if you'll be able to use it again, but for it to even have a chance, you have to give it time to heal."

Tying off the bandage, she patted his shoulder supportively. As the trio rose to their feet, their faces were set in determination. Time to rescue Rin!

After a brief discussion, it was decided that since Kakashi & Obito, despite their previous battle, still had nearly full chakra reserves, they would lead the charge into the cave. They didn't know what kind of state Rin would be in so it had been decided that Sakura who was down fifty percent, would wait in reserve.

Limited to strictly taijutsu, Sakura gave the boys a fifteen second head start before following them into the cave. By the looks of things, they hardly needed the back up. Stepping around the shinobi on the ground, she did a quick diagnostic scan on Rin as Kakashi untied her.

"They were using genjutsu on her by the looks of it. She'll be a bit out of it for a day or two but should be fine. Kai!" she said forming the correct seal to release Rin.

She seized up for a moment before coming back from whatever mind trap she had been in. "Kakashi, Obito…"

The two boys looked visibly relieved, and Rin smiled at them all sweetly. 'Thank you for coming back for me."

The pink-haired woman smiled as she helped Rin to her feet. "Easy does it."

"Here, I'll take her," Obito offered as he wrapped Rin's arm around his shoulder.

"Nice combination," said a voice at the entrance to the cave. The group froze as they watched with horror as the previously downed ninja got to his feet. "But now I have all the rats boxed in a nice corner."

Slamming his hands on the ground, the walls of the cave shuddered, and boulders rained from above as the cave began to collapse.

"Run!" Kakashi shouted. He grabbed Rin's other arm, together the two boy sprinted for the exit.

Half a step behind them, Sakura's pupils dilated as time suddenly came to a standstill.

_She saw a boulder falling and Obito pushing Kakashi and Rin to safety. With half of his body was crushed and knowing he was going to die, he offered Kakashi his left eye. But he didn't die. Something saved him, something dark, and it twisted his heart into a poisonous thing—an obsession. _

_Obito was overtaken by an ancient curse. It was the curse of hatred for all Uchiha who awakened their Sharingan as punishment for abandoning their ancestor. He watched Rin die—a slow poison of the worst kind—and his heart, so black and broken… He hated the world, hated his home. He would destroy this existence, tear it down brick by brick. He would rebuild it again. No death. No wars. No shinobi._

_No living. No love._

_A selfless deed breeding a selfish man. _

_If she let him, he would destroy everything she loved, everything she cared for. If she let him… If SHE let him_…

Sakura was moving before she even realized what she was doing, shoving three bodies so hard that they went flying. Looking up, she saw how fate had changed; she pushed Obito out of his destiny and stepped right into it.

_She stood where they had, and the boulder collapsed upon her. She tried to roll out of the way, but her arm and shoulder were caught, crushed by the weight. More boulders fell until she was all but covered, their immense weight pressing upon her. _

_Her life flickered in and out of darkness, but before her chest could collapse from the weight, she heard herself saying, "Take _my_ eye. Maybe it will be better this time."_

_The mountain of rocks shook once Rin was done. Dying, it didn't hurt so much, not like she thought it would, but that didn't mean she didn't wish that somehow, she hadn't. _

_Oh Kami, she really was going to die._

_It's funny that no matter how much pushing and kicking and screaming one did and no matter how long one evaded death's claws, the grim reaper still catches everyone in the end. She did the best she could. Maybe her methods weren't the best and even though she made a wrong turn or two, she fought for Konoha, her home, in the only way she knew how._

_Just because your name doesn't go into the history books, your deeds don't become any less heroic. She was fine with living on the sidelines of history, and the testament to her life was not what she gained but what she gave._

_She didn't want to die, not now, not like this, but she had made her choices and had sealed her fate the moment she shoved that boy out of the way. She did her best, but in the end she ran out of time and chances._

_Who would tell her mother that her only daughter had never made it home? Would her father be forever leaving the light on for her, waiting for his daughter to reappear, to answer his letters, to give him something more than false hope? Would he die waiting for her? As the years passed and her absence became more obvious, what would her friends make of her disappearance? Would they look for her? Would anyone?_

_Naruto would. He would search for her until his legs collapsed and his last breath ran out of his lungs. He would never give up on her, but no matter what he did or tired, he would never find her. She would never go home._

It was a strange feeling, foreseeing one's own death, and for a moment, she couldn't breath, couldn't see past her own failure when she had been so close… Then something in her snapped.

'_**NO!**__'_ a voice insider her roared_ ' I will not lose! Not here! Not now!'_

She was a shinobi of Konohagakure, the apprentice of the Godaime, a proud member of the legendary Team Seven! It would take more than a stupid _rock_ to bring her down.

Grinding her teeth as the blow came, she twisted.

.

The pain was unbearable. As the boulder slid down her spine, it felt as though her skin was being torn off her back cell by cell. She couldn't scream, couldn't move or speak. She gasped as though she would never breathe again as her arms trembled at the exertion.

"Sakura!"

Blood, hot and thick, slid down her ribs, and she opened one eye to face the three horrified teens. "H-hey there."

"Sakura-san your leg…" Rin whimpered.

Sakura grunted as she took in the damage. Her toes wiggled, but otherwise, the rest of her leg felt numb as several large rocks pressed upon it. She had been unbelievably lucky that she hadn't lost it, but based on the unsuccessful attempts of the boys to move said rocks, it seemed like a lost cause.

Obito and Kakashi strained against a boulder that was easily twice their height, but the more they struggled, the more she wished they would just let it go. She had tried, she truly had. Watching them fight the inevitable was beyond painful.

"Stop…" she whispered, "It's alright…"

Rin was crying, quiet, shoulder shaking sobs while Obito stared at his hands helplessly. The commas in his red eyes spun as he took in every angle of the space, trying to find an opening, a loophole, any kind of leverage that could help pull her free. Ideas, half-crazy and half-suicidal flashed through his mind, each more desperate than the one before as he watched with a clarity he suddenly wished he didn't possess as a drop of blood rolled down Sakura's calf. Shoulders slumping, he looked to Kakashi for help.

But the team leader had already run through all the possible scenarios and, as though in rejection of his own conclusions, kept pushing against the unmoving rock with a ferocity that only came from impossible situations.

"Stop, Kakashi…" she murmured.

In her somewhat dazed state, Sakura watched his muscles strain from the effort and waited for him to accept the futility of her present situation. When he turned his head slightly, attempting a different angle, she noted the fluid that left messy streaks down his face. He was crying.

Seeming to cave inward, he slumped against the rock and let gravity carry him to the stone floor. His shoulders started shaking, his hand curling up in a fist.

"Damn it!" The grey-haired boy punched the ground. "If I had listened to you and Obito from the start, this never would have happened!"

"Kakashi…" Obito tried, but Kakashi just shrugged out of his reach, too lost in his self-hatred to be comforted.

"What kind of captain am I?!" the team leader ranted as he raked frustrated hands through his spiky hair. He pulled at the ends, almost relieved at the resulting pain because it felt deserved.

He was the leader, their captain, and he was responsible for their safety and the success of their mission. If something went wrong, he was the one who was supposed to be dealt the consequences; not his teammates.

The pink haired shinobi tilted her head so she could meet his eyes. He looked away. Her gaze swept over him in evaluation, taking in the bruises on his clenched fists, the moisture around his eyes that the tried to blink away, and the wavering of his chakra as he wrestled for control of his emotions.

She had thought she had lost him, her Kakashi, but _there he was_.

"A jounin," Sakura answered his rhetorical question, "You're a _jounin_ captain."

Eyes widening his head snapped up at her words. If her arms had been free to touch him, she would have put a hand on his shoulder, but the proud grin would have to do instead.

"Hokage-sama said I could be your proctor, and I… I think you are ready." Sakura smiled. "Even if you were hesitant, you did return for your teammates, and I know you are going to protect them with your life. That's what… that's what being a ninja means... and you're going to be a great ninja."

Rin stood up wiping her tears away with her palm. "I can heal your back," she offered.

"Heh, don't waste chakra. You may need it." Sakura replied.

Rin looked ready to argue, but Sakura quickly cut her off. "You three should go. I don't know how much longer I can hold this… and I won't let my teammates die because of me."

She watched as Kakashi's expression gradually shifted to a carefully blank mask as he forced himself to rise to his feet, being strong for the sake of his team. _There_, that was her Kakashi, not the arrogant kid that had been borrowing his name. He would be a great ninja, and she only wished she could have told him how great.

.

_She had been going through her usual routine at the obstacle course when Kakashi-sensei found her. Well, perhaps 'found' wasn't the right word, since he nearly gave her a heart attack when he suddenly appeared above the barbed wire fence she was crawling under._

"_Yo!"_

"_Ack! Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura spluttered. _

_He waved at her over the cover of his favorite orange book. "It's good to see that all my cute students are hard at work."_

_She didn't know if she was supposed to feel embarrassed that he caught her in her present state (covered in mud, her hair a mess, and smelling like a pig) or if she should feel angry that he was spying on her. In the end, she decided to deflect the conversation away from herself._

"_Aren't you supposed to be training Sasuke-kun?"_

_Kakashi blinked at her owlishly. "Can't I check in on my other students?"_

_Sakura resisted the urge to grumble something derogatory about how she didn't know that he realized he had more than one student—especially since he never bothered to check in on her before. It seems as though her silence had been enough as the jounin snapped his orange book shut. _

"_I bet you're wondering why Sasuke's been getting the special treatment eh?"_

_Green eyes flashed at him accusingly as if to say _'Are you implying that he isn't?!'

_Kakashi squatted so that they were at eye level. "You see Sakura-chan, Konoha has a lot of strict rules about what genin are permitted to be exposed to, and the chunin exam is one of the ways of testing genin. It's not just to see who's ready to become a chunin, but which genin are ready to be real ninja. Of the fifty-six graduates from your Academy class, only forty-five of them passed the bell test, but, statistically speaking, only twenty-seven will advance to chunin or jounin. The rest will either drop out of the program or become 'paper ninja—desk clerks, managers of the archives, and so on._

"_These drop-outs, if you will, do not have clearance to learn high-level techniques or village secrets because they are generally considered to be a flight risk. They don't need to know our forbidden jutsu since they will never use them and thereby, cannot give any critical secrets away if they… abandon their post."_

"_So," Sakura said slowly as she pieced together what he was implying, "you couldn't train us because you weren't sure what group we were in?"_

"_Well," Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck somewhat sheepishly, "the only one I had concerns about was you."_

_She stared at her feet. "I see."_

"_I always thought you had potential, but you never expressed any interest in getting stronger or becoming a formidable kunoichi."_

"_Shinobi," she corrected without a second thought, "a formidable shinobi."_

_Kakashi's one visible eye crinkled in a way that let her know that he was smiling. "My mistake."_

"_So now, you'll train me?" she asked trying not to sound overly hopeful.  
"Hai." He said cracking his knuckles, "I've been looking forward to being a proper sensei for a change."_

.

She couldn't thank this Kakashi for growing up to be her sensei, for helping her find her path as a shinobi. In her original world, she had never thanked him, not properly anyways, and she couldn't really thank this boy for proving that he was _her_ Kakashi, or would be once he finally found himself under all that angsty teen.

Instead, she smiled, hoping that was enough.

Looking the pinket in the eye, Kakashi deliberately straightened his forehead protector. "I will protect them with my life!"

.

After the trio left, time seemed to tickle by slowly. Being trapped in a cave, she couldn't use the sun to track the hours, and only assumed that the sun had set but so little light reached her anyways that she wouldn't be able to tell the difference. It might have been hours or days or just a few minutes, she couldn't tell.

As she resolutely held back the wall of earth, she was distinctly aware of the constant drain of chakra such an endeavor required. Being who she was, she had also calculated out how much longer she had before she chewed through the rest of her reserves.

Even for someone who lived minute to minute, such a small amount was alarming, and she carefully shunted all her chakra in the most efficient manner possible. It helped a little, but for someone with an hourglass on the table, a few spared minutes hardly seemed like enough.

_._

_Sakura's breath escaped her lips in puffs of white smoke as she ran across the icy terrain. The cold air nipped at her exposed skin, but she didn't waste time fixing the hood of her cloak when it would just get blown back off anyways._

_Her legs were a blur, her feet barely touching the ground. Normally she couldn't travel at this speed since her eyesight couldn't keep up with the changing scenery, but due to the seriousness of the situation, not being able to see for a few moments on a relatively flat terrain merited the risk. _

_Besides, the flash of orange on an otherwise white terrain was hard to miss._

"_Naruto!" she shouted as she slowed her pace._

_He turned shocked and bewildered. "Sakura?"_

_She slammed into him, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso. He was here! Her Naruto was safe! She wasn't too late!_

_He laughed somewhat uneasily. "Not that I'm not glad to see you, but what are you doing here?"_

_The pinket was stunned. He didn't know?! _

_Releasing him, she studied his face for any sign of deception, but her blond knucklehead just stared at her with a concerned expression. He didn't appear anxious or in any particular hurry, and he didn't have that tense look of someone on a manhunt. She almost sagged in relief. _

_He didn't know._

_Straightening, she cleared her face. This called for a change in tactics since her role in this switched from one of possible intervention to delay. It wouldn't take Sasuke and his team long to escape into the mountains where they could disappear with the onset of the incoming blizzard. _

_She hugged him then, tightly and with a desperation that surprised him. _

"_Sakura-chan?"_

_She had come so close to losing her team. Permanently. It was a setup, it had to be, but she was not going to sit back and watch her boys rip each other to shreds. She would die before she let that happen. _

"_Did you really think I was going to let you leave before saying goodbye?" she finally managed to spit out, grasping for excuses. _

_Not picking up on her odd tone, he laughed lightly hugging her back. "I told you I was only going to be gone for a few days. Ten tops."_

_Pulling back, Naruto smiled at her as he adjusted his backpack. "Wish me luck!"_

'No! He can't leave yet!'

_What she did next was arguably one of the most stupid and reckless things she had ever done. Grabbing a fistful of his shirt, she yanked him down to her level. She caught a brief flash of surprised blue eyes before she kissed him fiercely._

_No matter what he thought of her, she would do what she had to. Part of her felt like crying when he stiffened against her, failing to respond, but she lingered for a moment, perhaps selfishly, perhaps only to gather herself before she face him._

_He didn't kiss her back. _

_She leaned back but didn't step away, and their faces remained impossibly close together. Their white puffs of breath mingled together as he stared at her intensely as though he had never seen anything quite like her._

"_You shouldn't have done that," he whispered hoarsely._

"_I wanted to," she replied, her hands still not releasing his shirt._

"_**Why**__ did you do that?" his voice carried a strange note to it as though he both wanted—no, needed to know and yet desperately tried to avoid it._

_It started to snow, and a single icy flake landed in her eyelash. _

_It was snowing._

_She didn't have to delay him anymore. She could dodge the question and hide from the answer. The snow would hide Sasuke's tracks so she didn't have to cover for him anymore. _

_But Sakura didn't move. Clinging to Naruto's shirt, she held him there as his eyes burned through her. Snowflakes got caught in their hair and gave the whole scene an almost otherworldly feel._

"_Because I…" she swallowed. How long had she been waiting for this moment? How long had she been struggling to tell him? _

_His expression was contorted, as though part of him was yearning for her answer, hungering for it like a starving man, but another part was struggling against it. He seemed to be begging her to back off, to bite her tongue, and to let him go._

_But she didn't; she couldn't. _

"_Because I love you."_

_._

"_Sakura Haruno, you are here on trial for assisting in the escape of a fugitive and going against the direct order of your commanding officer. How do you plead?"_

"_Oblivious to the circumstance of said escaping fugitive and unaware of any orders that would have forbidden me from seeing my _teammate_ off."_

"_Watch your tone," Danzo warned. He looked pleased as a peacock and far too comfortable behind the Hokage's desk._

"_With all due respect __**acting**__ Hokage, you can check the hospital records to see that it was my day off active duty so I was permitted to go as I pleased and had no contact with my superior officer. Furthermore," she argued trying, and failing, to sound polite and respectful, "How could _I _have possibly known that it was a Sharingan-induced coma placed on the Godaime when you wouldn't let me inspect her or review her medical chart?"_

_Danzo's face purpled. "You would have disobeyed my orders anyway."_

"_Had I been aware of them? Yes, I certainly would have," Sakura conceded, "but the point remains that you cannot charge me of insubordination when I was unaware of the orders." Or the fact that she wasn't his subordinate, she added silently. _

_Sakura didn't really know what the point of this trial was since he couldn't legally hold her to these charges—especially when Kakashi mentioned that it may have slipped his mind to mention that Sakura was not to leave the base on her day off until he realized she had done just that. Danzo also couldn't expose how he knew Sakura was sneaking into the hospital against regulation without having to explain why one of the top medics wasn't allowed to check up on a high-priority patient. _

_Perhaps it was her reputation that we was after, wanting to drag her name through the mud. Such a thing might have mattered had Sakura wanted to take advantage of her family's connections and marry some high-ranking official or whatever, but if she had been even remotely interested in that kind of life, she would have never signed up for the academy. _

_._

_She wasn't sure what she expected, maybe another one of those warning looks, maybe he would finally tell her the real reason for holding her at arm length all this time, but Naruto, being the unpredictable ninja that he was, surprised her yet again._

_He leaned forward, crossing the small distance between them and kissed __**her**__. Finally, in the middle of a war, when her sensei was in a comma and Sasuke was an easy target to villanify, finally with the snow falling softly around them in the most frigid corner of the world, finally, he gave some hint that he wanted her too._

_His hand slid around her waist while her arms wrapped around his neck. There wasn't a rush, but the kiss was fervent and hurried as though they were making up for lost time._

_Abruptly, he broke off, shoving her away. It wasn't enough force to hurt her, but he wasn't exactly gentle either._

"_I can't," he said._

_Sakura felt like screaming in frustration. Stomping her foot in the icy ground, "You can't __**what**_?!" she demanded.

"_This, us, it's not going to happen. We're never going to happen Sakura. I'm not—" he cut himself off suddenly as another set of feet crunched through the snow._

"_Kakashi-sensei…" she mumbled, already knowing the reason behind his sudden appearance._

_The silver haired jounin didn't waste any time with formalities. "As of today, Sasuke Uchiha is ranked as an S-ranked criminal wanted for desertion, betrayal, and attempted assassination of a kage."_

"_Assassination?" Naruto repeated incredulous shaking his head, "The teme wouldn't do that."_

"_Tsunade was found in a Sharingan-induced coma, and her central nervous system would have collapsed due to strain if we hadn't found her so quickly so unless you think __**I**__ did it or Itachi somehow rose from the grave, I would say we have a problem." _

"_Sasuke wouldn't," Naruto protested but it even sounded weak coming from his ears._

"_Until Tsunade awakens, we won't know for sure."_

"_Where is he?" Naruto asked._

"_Nearby we suspect," the Kakashi answered, "I was part of the team on his trail, but when the snow started, we lost it near the mountain pass."_

"_The mountain pass?" the blond thought out loud, "That's funny because I was about to—"_

_The change was so sudden that her breath hitched in her throat as he swiveled on her, furious eyes glaring at her in accusation. "You knew."_

_She wanted to run, wanted to deny it, wanted to feign ignorance, but this was Naruto, her Naruto, and she never lied to him. Squaring her shoulder as though she were meeting her executioner, she raised her eyes to meet his. _

"_Hai, I knew."_

_._

_After her trail, he met her outside the makeshift Hokage's office. Naruto didn't say much, but then, he didn't have to. _

"_I can't stand liars."_

_._

_Standing outside of a hair salon, she contemplated getting a trim. She had some free time now, could easily go in and get her hair cut. Besides, the salon didn't look too busy so they should have no trouble fitting her in._

_It had been sometime since her last appointment, and her pink tresses were starting to grow out. After she came home, her mother would grumble awhile about how short hair was improper for a lady of her standing, and her father would give her that sympathetic look from over his newspaper as if to say '_Is he still breaking your heart?_' _

_Loitering on the sidewalk, Sakura tugged on her pink locks in a frustrated manner while she chewed on her lip, deep in thought. Maybe it was time for a change. She wasn't a little girl anymore, and it was time she started acting like it._

_Later that evening, she caught her mother smiling smugly looking quite like the cat that had caught the canary. _

"_I thought you were getting your hair cut today."_

_Sakura shrugged, avidly avoiding her father's curious gaze. "I guess not."_

.

The ground wasn't exactly the most interesting specimen to study, but counting pebbles seemed like a much better way to pass the time than waiting for her chakra reserves to dry up and her arms to collapse from the strain. Part of her wanted to let go, to let the rocks fall, to let the end be quick and merciful. After all, there were certainly worse ways to die.

'_No.'_

Sakura Haruno was nothing if not stubborn. She had too much to do, too much to live for. She had kids to take care of, precious people that she had to keep safe. She had to help this Konoha make it though the third shinobi war.

Then, she had to get back home to her Konoha, had to hug her father and bash Naruto's brain in. She had to beat Kakashi in shogi and finish her jounin sensei application so she could lead a team of her own. She had so much to _do_ that there was no way she was dying here.

"My you are a stubborn one."

Her head shot up as a man with a swirled mask stood before her. Sakura was having a hard time concentrating on him as her vision blurred and wavered.

"I must say I am impressed," the masked man continued. "When I originally planted you in this universe, I foresaw you dying, yet here you are, clinging to life still."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Tobi."

He didn't seem surprised. "I wasn't sure if you would succeed now that the enforcer is elsewhere and one's will plays a much larger role in this world's fate, but I am pleased. Now I can make both world perfect."

"No," Sakura shuddered.

"Yes," Tobi contradicted, "It is already done, and when you die, the changes will be permanent."

She didn't whimper or beg as he stepped near her with a sharp kunai in his hand, and she didn't cry out when his blade began carving patterns on her arms. Instead, she bit her cheek and endured.

His hand jerked back in shock when he pushed up her sleeve and saw the kyuubi scar. "My, my," he said studying the mark, "What have we here?"

Releasing her sleeve, he watched it slide back down to cover the mark. "It seems as though you are a rarer find than I had first imagined."

He stepped back, as far as the limited space would allow and studied her thoughtfully. What Sakura didn't realize was that what the man was searching for was not her aura, chakra signature, or even her favorite flavor of ramen. No, he was studying her _essence_.

This man, this 'Tobi', had been to far more worlds and planes than this Sakura could imagine. Each world held slight variations and deviations and each held a different fabric of fate. He had searched countless worlds and only found a few hundred that were remotely like his original world. Of these, he had attempted to 'renovate' several dozen, yet thus far, all his projects had been failures.

Then he came across her world. The first world he had found in which both the Weaver and the Spinner had rejected the Allotter.

It had seemed like the perfect opportunity, yet now he was suspicious. Why was this Allotter rejected? She had the mark, yet her essence seemed somewhat strange. It matched the essence of this world he had arbitrarily thrown her in rather than the world she had emerged from.

Had her essence adapted to this new world, or had it been this way before? He struggled to remember. If it was the latter, than it brewed for trouble, a trap that had been set for him to intentionally fall into.

What were the gods doing now?

Sakura struggled to remain conscious feeling dizzy and lightheaded from all the blood loss. "You won't win in the end," she murmured as if to herself.

The masked man paused, feeling a shift in the air like a lock sliding into place. He hated these kinds of feelings; such things made him uneasy.

The pinket's head slumped as though she had fallen unconscious, but her lips still moved, her words barely audible. "You never win. You never get what you want."

The mask gave away nothing. "You assume too much."

He spun the kunai once around his finger before catching it. "I was going to cut you up slowly to see if _he_ could feel it, but my patience wears thin."

Cold metal pressed against her neck. "Goodbye Haruno Sakura or whatever you are."

A flash of yellow and a hand shot out of the shadows and grabbed Tobi's wrist twisting it back. Sakura blinked as the world spun in and out of focus. She followed the hand up the arm to the shoulder than across to a familiar face.

_Minato_.

Those eyes, she would never forget those eyes. The green was gone, replaced by a darkness she had never seen before.

He didn't say anything, but then he didn't have to. As Tobi's hand spasmed in pain, Minato's head tilted slightly so that his bangs cast a dark shadow across his face. Even to Sakura's waning consciousness, he looked like a feral animal, a god of wrath, while his dangerous expression promised a painful retribution.

If the masked man was worried, he hid it well. His kunai had drawn a fine line across Sakura's skin when she inhaled, and all it would take is the smallest of movements and that kunai would be covered in a lot more blood.

But those fingers didn't so much as twitch. "How… _interesting_."

…

**A/N:** It will probably be at least two weeks before the next update (so much sadness), but hopefully things should settle down after that and updates can become more regular. I decided to extend the Part 1 Arc out one more chapter, and I'm curious about any predictions you guys might have about the upcoming showdown.

Anyways feel free to leave your thoughts, comments, and criticisms below, and enjoy your weekend!


	9. Tight Corners

**Fate's Allotter:** Part 1 finale

**Chapter 9:** Tight Corners

…

It didn't take a shinobi of Minato's caliber to put two and two together. He saw Kakashi's bandaged eye, Obito's sharingan, Rin's tears, and Sakura's notable absence, and it wasn't hard to figure out the rest. Kakashi had given him the coordinates for the cave, and Minato had wondered, as he dashed through the bamboo forest, if he would find a woman or a just another body.

He didn't know what to feel. She had saved his kids, but what about her own? There were seven little boys and girls hoping and praying that she would return home, and he didn't know what he was going to tell them if she…

He shook his head. Best not to think about that possibility unless it came to it.

Suppressing his chakra as he approached the cave, he considered the situation carefully. When he pressed his hand on the ground, he sensed two people in the cave, but that didn't tell him if they were friendly Konoha bred shinobi or a trap waiting to spring. Given his luck, it was more likely the latter.

His wrist flicked, and one of his special kunai found a home in a clearing not far away. Better to be on the safe side. Then, he approached the entrance with great care, half-expecting a genjutsu to hit him, but he didn't sense the usual itch of foreign chakra trying to invade his central nervous system. Instead, he heard the quiet murmuring of voices.

"It seems as though you are a rarer find than I had first imagined," a man said. His voice sounded hollow and slightly mechanic as though he were speaking through a ventilator.

Minato paused, once more considering the possibilities of a trap. He edged around the corner discretely but was only greeted by another wall of rock. This was a bad place to be in: poor lighting, unstable surroundings with a potential for a cave-in, and the certainty that at least one shinobi was not a familiar friendly.

For a moment, he considered drawing back, retreating before his presence was detected, but then there was this quiet sound, a cough, followed by a sharp intake of air.

"You won't win in the end," a female voice strained while a note of pain crept into her voice.

Minato released the breath he didn't know he had been holding. _Sakura_. So she was alive.

Now all he had to do was make sure she _stayed_ that way.

Mindful of his surroundings, he edged forward, careful not to overturn so much as a pebble.

"You never win," Sakura continued, sounding hoarse yet determined, "You never get what you want."

Fabric rustled. "You assume too much."

Minato peeked around the next corner, and it felt as though someone had punched him in the gut. He very much doubted that this was the state that Kakashi had last seen her in, designs slashed into her arms, pink hair matted a crimson red, and skin so pale that it was obvious that she was running dangerously low on blood. She looked as though she was on the verge of collapsing.

"Goodbye Haruno Sakura or whatever you are."

His body was moving before he fully registered what he was doing, appearing at her side in a flash, gripping the man's wrist and forcing that kunai back. Dark eyes glittered at him through the slits in the man's mask in way that made it seem as though this is exactly what he had expected.

Those dark eyes crinkled as though, behind that mask, the man was _smiling_.

.

Sakura looked from one man to the other.

There was a strange amount of tension in the air as though the impending fight held bad blood on both ends, and there was a certain eagerness to the masked man's posture as he leaned into Minato's grip as if this had been a fight that was long overdue. He seemed to feed off of Minato's anger, shifting his weight so that the kunai scraped through the superficial layers of her skin.

Minato's eyes narrowed, and the bones of the masked man's wrist whined and cracked under the strain. Despite this, Sakura still got the impression that the masked man thriving off this open animosity, and she imagined that a rather crazed smile had taken residence on his face.

'_Shit.'_

.

Fighting in cramped spaces was not something typically taught in the Academy. Especially not when you had to simultaneously worry about a comrade who was not only immobile and slowly bleeding to death.

While Minato wasn't exactly a Nara, he could usually find a decent tactical strategy out of any mess. Yet, the situation he found himself in didn't exactly making things easy. First, there was the anger. That was a problem his analytical mind was quite aware of as fury had a way of tunnel visioning one's objectives. It increased the likelihood of a poor outcome.

Knowing this though didn't dim the degree of his rage, but it cooled it somewhat so that logical thinking wasn't forgone. The desire to hack the man in front of him to shreds was still there but now it was overshadowed by control. Cold, calculating anger replaced the boiling overflowing fury. In many ways, it was this very trait, so rarely expressed by the normally calm man, which made him so formidable.

He assessed her condition quickly, forcing his mind to categorize her present state in as detached manner as he could. How much time did he have to work with? Taking in the pale complexion, the short, rapid breaths, and the blue tint to her lips, he grit his teeth. Not much. She had lost too much blood, and was dangerously close to organ shut down. The fact that she was still conscious was nothing short of a miracle; that she kept holding up several tons of rock spoke volumes on her titanic willpower.

The man with the mask stared at him with something close to curiosity as though he had stumbled upon a novel specimen. "How… _interesting_."

Minato pressed his weight forward as though he was intent on forcing the kunai away from Sakura's neck—which he was, but perhaps not by the obvious means.

Seeming to read through his intentions, his opponent raised his other hand in a single hand sign.

Timing was everything in the shinobi world, especially for ninja like him that relied on superior speed and enhanced reflexes to get the edge on his opponent. Minato was a master of precise timing, but that is not to say that such a talent came without its close calls.

All around them, exploding tags lit up like sparkling candles as Minato's elbow brushed against Sakura's collarbone. The tips of his hair singed as he activated his jutsu, and if he hadn't still been wearing his pack, he was certain his back would have taken a fair amount of damage.

Right away, he knew he had pushed an excessive amount of chakra into his teleportation technique, but he was taking no chances in making sure that even though the point of contact was small, no part of Sakura was getting left behind.

Unused to the aftereffects of his jutsu, she wobbled uncertainly when they landed. Taking in her surroundings, he couldn't blame her for that weak pulse of chakra to disrupt genjutsu; the flying thunder god technique was still pretty unreal even to those who had faced it firsthand. It took her a moment to grasp onto what had happened, but then she steadied herself, smiling at him weakly.

"You came back for me."

A drop of ruby blood trickled down the side of her neck, and he watched her worriedly as she swayed unsteadily. Then like the flip of a switch, her legs seemed to give out, and it was only his good reflexes that saved her from a nasty face plant.

Setting her gently on the ground, his hands hovered over her at a temporary loss on what to do. She was so pale and so still, and he wasn't a medic nin. Her skin was cold and clammy, and the tips of her fingers were turning blue and cyanotic.

Minato knew the basics, stitches here, bandage there, and he could even set a broken bone if he had to, but as he frantically dug through his hip pouch, he couldn't help the belated thought that he didn't know _enough_. He wasn't Rin, and medicine had been one of his worst electives when he was preparing for the jounin exam.

But that didn't mean he wouldn't _try_. Fingers closed around a small red pill, and he tilted her chin back before shoving it down her throat. Given their side effects, blood pills were only to be used in desperate situations as a last resort when no donor blood packs were within easy reach.

Minato didn't really understand all the science behind it, but he was pretty sure this qualified as desperate.

"Come on."

He knew the effect of such things was not instantaneous, but as her pulse grew fainter beneath his fingertips, he began debating giving her a second pill.

It was about this time that he realized that his other hand was still hanging onto something. A quick glance down and the object was instantly released. A _man's_ arm.

Unfortunately for the masked ninja, Minato didn't quite take the same care to include all of _him_ in his transportation jutsu so only part of him came along for the journey. The arm began bubbling and oozing as though it had been dropped in acid, and the blond shinobi was quick to kick it aside. He had no interest in finding out what kind of crazy chakra was left in that thing.

Sakura's lips began to lose the blue tinge, and some color seemed to be returning to her face. Minato sighed in relief. Just as he was bending to pick her back up, the back of his neck prickled.

"It seems as though I have made the same mistake twice."

Minato's head swiveled to the edge of the field where the masked man was picking up his lost appendage. Somehow, it didn't surprise him to see that the unnamed shinobi had survived the resulting cave in, but he refused to feel remorse for wishing for the opposite. Anger still simmered beneath the surface, demanding ramifications and vengeance, but he let that hatred cool, converting it to a cold, calculated focus.

"Again I was too slow," the masked man lamented, "but I can assure you _Yellow Flash_ of Konoha, such an error will not be made a third time."

Minato stood protectively in front of Sakura, drawing several kunai from his pouch. There was something odd about this man, something that set him on edge. He had no markings of village affiliations, and he kept his appearance as ambiguous as possible behind that cloak and mask. What was he hiding?

_And how did he know Sakura?_

He could have teleported back to his team where Rin could have taken over Sakura's medic care, but his gut told him that this was one opponent he didn't want anywhere near his team. One potential hostage was bad enough. Add in that Kakashi was wounded and Obito was low on chakra, and it added up to a bad combination.

He decided to take his chances here, pitting his skill against an unknown opponent. No backup. Just two men standing in eachother's way.

He sincerely hoped that was a decision he would not come to regret.

A dozen or so specially marked, three-pronged kunai were sent flying in all direction around the clearing. When there were only two left in his hand, his grip loosen on one and he let it slide from his fingers. Down it fell, digging into the dirt next to Sakura's arm. The last kunai, he kept. His knuckles turned white with the strength of his grip.

If his opponent was worried, his mask hid his expression. "I hate loose ends."

.

The masked man studied his opponent with a kind of wariness that might have come across as somewhat unexpected from a shinobi of his caliber, but if one considered the history of this particular matchup (at least from the masked-man's perspective), he had every right in the world to be hesitant.

There were only a few opponents that could go head to head with him, and only three that had ever been able to bring him before the knees of death, begging for more time. The first was a near-replica of the man standing before him, a Minato of a different world yet one that was not so different from this one.

He _hated_ that Minato. All of this, his home world's destruction, his endless quest, all of it was _Minato's_ fault.

He had been subtly making plans for nearly two decades since the collapse of his original universe, and he had been searching relentlessly for the _perfect_ match, the world with the right elements required to achieve the desired result. In essence, he had been waiting a long time for this particular opportunity, and he'd be damned if he let it slip by just because another _Minato_ stood in his way.

The problem with his first world was not that he had lost, but that he had won. Stupid of him really since what he won was the wrong thing. As his world had faded from existence, she had laughed at him, spitting blood in his face.

"_You never get what you want."_

Damn her.

Her curse had echoed through his mind as his clumsy efforts led to the destruction of hundreds of worlds. Even later, when he finally perfected his technique, her words still lingered. _Never what you want…_

He would prove her wrong and would laugh in _her_ face when she saw what he had done.

He was so close now.

The girl had done her job, as expected, but letting an extraneous Allotter linger in this reality would only cause unwarranted complications. Her existence alone was tedious at best, and a dangerous threat if she ever managed to return to her original world.

No, that would not happen, the masked man thought as a kunai appeared from the folds of his sleeve, not while he still breathed.

Across the clearing, Minato crouched in a low defensive stance, a heavy kunai in hand. Behind him, the girl remained limp and unmoving. Perhaps nature would just do the job all on it's own, drowning the annoying vixen in the grim reaper's cloak. Her death would be a permanent thing, no reincarnations, no successful revival techniques, no more Allotters, and while that prospect was particularly exciting, the man with the swirled mask was leaving nothing up to chance.

He had waited a long time, a _very_ long time. He was not about to allow perfectly laid plans to fall to pieces.

.

Steal slid through his fingers with an ease that only came from years of practice. Minato didn't have to calculate distances or projected trajectory; that came from experience. He simply waited for his opponent to duck or dodge as he pooled chakra around his naval.

But the problem was, the masked man _didn't_ move. He simply stood there as a three-pronged kunai slid though his eye socket and out the other side, neither cracking the mask nor slicing the skin.

Had Minato been anyone else, his eyes would have widened of shock. Had he been anyone else, he would have made the rookie mistake of standing still, gaping openly, and failing to follow through on his next strike. But Minato wasn't just _anybody_.

The kunai landed on the ground, splitting a thick weed neatly in half. Less than a second later, drops of red sprinkled on the leafy grass.

.

"Do you think I am such a fool as to fall for the same old tricks _twice?_"

The blond shinobi didn't reply, unable to move.

"I did expect more. Pity."

.

Sakura hacked wetly as she fought against the waves of dizziness and nausea. Feeling very much as though a freight train had steamrolled her, she wondered, given her present condition, what the poor train must have looked like.

Ha, ha. It probably wasn't as funny as she thought it was, but the dry humor at least helped her roll over to a more defensible position.

Spotting a kunai next to her elbow, she pulled it from the ground. Her hands were shaking badly as she gripped the steal, and it took a considerable amount of effort to steady them. The kunai was heavier than she thought it would be, but she already felt better by simply holding a weapon in front of her. Heh, she truly was a ninja if the cold edge of steel is what brought her comfort. Her mother would be _so_ proud.

Fighting off a wave of vertigo, she pushed herself up on her knees. Her hand splashed in something wet. It took her a long moment—longer than it should have—to look down and realize that the coloration was somewhat off. Blood. Her hand was covered in _blood_.

The ground was saturated in it, and everywhere she looked, her eyes encountered increasingly gruesome horror. Entrails dangled from the undergrowth, Kakashi was strung from a tree with both his eyes and ears scooped out like scoops of ice cream. Farther away there was a pile of bodies, and she could make out tangled strands of dark brown hair as Rin stared at her lifelessly. They were all there, Obito, Naruto, Sasuke, her Kakashi-sensei…

She took a deep breath. _'No. This isn't real.'_

Shakily, her hands pressed together forming a simple seal. "Kai," she whispered hoarsely.

The genjutsu broke, but while the scene of horror changed, an equally disturbing image took its place. A double genjutsu?

"_Kai_," she said again, more urgently, but this time the image didn't waver.

Her ears were ringing and the grass felt cool beneath her fingertips. There was still blood on the ground, but the dark stains belonged to more than just her. Heart pounding, her pupils dilated in shock.

She felt off-center as though someone had tilted the earth and everything was now backwards and sideways. She _must_ still be trapped in some kind of genjutsu because there was no way that was _Minato_, the Yellow Flash, Future Fourth Hokage, Hero of Konoha, with a kunai through his spine.

.

Perhaps, Minato thought, he had severely underestimated his opponent. But then, he mused as the masked man let his "body" slump to the ground, not even checking for a confirmed kill, before charging headlong at the arousing kunoichi, his opponent had also underestimated _him_.

What a _pity_.

It seemed as though the masked man was another victim of an inflated ego. He had played with fire so often that he had forgotten it was dangerous. It seemed like a common problem of shinobi once they reached a certain caliber. While Minato knew for a fact that he was not the strongest shinobi in existence, he also was quite aware that overconfidence was the number one downfall of powerful shinobi.

All it took was one mistake.

He didn't know why the masked man thought he was stupid enough to purposefully put his enemy between himself and the person he was defending. That was just basic tactics 101, and Minato wasn't stupid. He had teleported to a rather scenic view of the clearing in a tree just above Sakura's position while his clone had tested the waters.

He only regularly used a few techniques, things he was sure no one could copy or steal from him, but that did not mean that they were his only jutsu. Only a few people still remembered that the once-upon-a-time prodigy had started his shinobi career with the sudden realization that he had earth type chakra.

Shocking? He hoped so. It was one of the trump cards he held close to his chest in the event that he ever came across an opponent that needed something more than his usual card tricks.

Earth clones were incredibly convenient in that sense; they were solid and could land lethal strikes almost as well as he could. They were perfect for testing his opponent's abilities without having to use himself as the test dummy. Clones were expendable; he was not.

In any case, it seemed to work well enough to deceive the masked nin. What concerned Minato though was the fact that the man seemed to not only anticipate his strike pattern but also knew how to counter it. His speech implied that they had fought before, perhaps before his development of the dematerialization jutsu (as that's something Minato would have undoubtedly remembered).

In any case, Konoha nin had deduced that the dematerialization jutsu also came with its limitations. The masked man had been able to grasp the man's wrist earlier, and at the very least, he would need to become tangible at the exact moment of an attack (or else his strike would phase though his target). It was possible that the jutsu only covered his head, but Minato didn't really have the time to experiment.

As the masked man reached striking distance from Sakura, she raised her arms defensively, too slow and unsteady on her feet to dodge the blow. From above, Minato held his position until the last possible second.

'_Now!'_

His body moved back to the first kunai he had left next to Sakura.

.

She turned to protect her vital organs and moved her right arm up to block the strike. There was this sickening sensation of something _slimy_ crawling through her arm like a ghost's ectoplasm. It was almost surreal, like a slow motion horror film, as she watched the hand with the kunai slid _through_ her arm.

Eyes widening as she predicted its path, her chakra, or what little was left of it, moved through her system on impulse. There wasn't a plan; there wasn't anywhere to go, blocked in by the trees as she was, but the reaction was as instinctive as the one that made her raise her arm to block the blow.

She couldn't say exactly what she did, just that one moment the kunai was sliding through the subcutaneous fat above her hip and the next everything exploded. Rocks went flying in all directions as she was thrown backwards and slammed into a tree with a sickening crack. Dazed and wondering what she had broken this time, she had trouble focusing on her surroundings. As her head lolled to the side, she couldn't tell if she imagined that flash of yellow or if there really was a sudden splash of orange.

There was a buzzing, ringing sound in her ears. It grew louder as the initial shrill deepened into a voluminous roar.

.

_It felt as though her body was on fire as she stared at the world through a crimson hue. Sasuke stood several feet away, sword drawn, blood dripping down his side. The sole survivor of the Uchiha massacre was clearly favoring his right side while his left arm swung uselessly against the grisly wound. _

_The pungent smell of ash and burnt flesh stung her nostrils, but her attention had narrowed down to a single thought:_ _**Make him pay.**_

_Sasuke coughed, blood and saliva spattered against the ground, and despite the slight sway in his stance, he stood resilient. Proud until the very end. _

"_She's dead Dobe. This is pointless."_

_Sakura growled, a low and threatening timber__**. Make him pay. **__Sharp claws twitched, yearning to dig into flesh, her lips lusted to taste hot blood, and her ears demanded to hear the melody of his screams. She had no patience for useless words, and there was nothing that slivery tongue could say to take back what he had done._

_She had curled up, ready to pounce, when suddenly there was another body in her way. Kakashi. _

"_Naruto stop! If you loved her at all, you won't undo all that she worked for!"_

_That made her, (him?) pause. Sakura, that name meant something. The bloodlust was still there, boiling, churning, demanding as it rolled beneath the skin, but the pause lifted the haze slightly, enough so he could remember._

"_Sakura?" he croaked, wiping his head around as though she would suddenly appear._

"_**Sakura?**__"_

In another world, in a different time, and as far from him as fate could push her, a pink haired girl shuddered. She felt his call. An inferno ripped through her body; it came pouring from the scar in her arm, itching and burning and racing all the way down to her toes. _'You're hurting me!'_ she whimpered.

It didn't stop or yield. It gave no leeway, no option for compromise.

"_**Sakura!"**_

Arms slipped around her, and she fended them off as best as she could. The three-pronged kunai struck home, sliding through something soft and warm. Two worlds swam before her vision in a nauseating manner as her face was splattered in warm crimson.

Blue eyes winced, but the arms didn't let her go. Instead, hands gently wiped the flecks of blood off her chin.

She knew those eyes, blue with flecks of green. She stopped struggling. She blinked at him as the vision of burning red chakra and bleeding teammates gradually dissolved. The shaking didn't stop, and she felt raw on the inside as though all of her organs had been burned down to ash.

"—ato…?"

She didn't really know whose name she uttered that night, but later she would come to realize, that this may have been the deciding factor in what the future held for her. At the time, she didn't realize what such a thing could have meant, but she would learn soon enough.

"—s okay… I got you."

In her last moments of consciousness, Sakura felt herself falling, hair flying past her face as she gave into gravity, but before her body could collide with the ground, something warm and safe wrapped around her and spun her away.

.

Kakashi had always been observant; it is one of the many traits that made him such an effective scout, but this time, with his eye in its present condition, the small band of three had to depend on someone else's eyes.

For Obito, it was a somewhat unusual position to find himself in, playing lookout while the other two rested. Prior to rediscovering that he was in fact a Uchiha (and not some bastard son like it had occasionally been implied), he suddenly found himself thrust into the position of having the best eyes on the team whereas previously he had had the worst.

Good eyes or bad eyes though, he would never get used to his sensei's abrupt appearances.

Out of habit, he opened his mouth—maybe in greeting, maybe to crack a joke, maybe to angrily demand why it took him so long—but his mouth just kind of hung there, gaping open, as everything he might have said died in a breath of sputtered air.

Obito would never forget the way those eyes looked when his sensei was covered in blood and his elbow was oozing some sort of purple substance. In that moment, Obito never doubted that there was anyone alive more dangerous than Minato Namikaze.

"Get Rin."

Swallowing his shock, the young Uchiha stumbled over himself, nearly tripping, in his rush to obey.

In Minato's arms was a young woman. Her pale skin was speckled in dry blood while twin track lines ran from her eyes down her face from where tears carried the dirt away. Her lips parted slightly as though she were crying out for help, while green eyes stared onward, unblinking.

Obito had seen dead bodies before, in the anatomy class at the Academy and then later when his team made their first kill, but he had never seen a dead body of one of his comrades. As he scurried under the tangle of tree roots to their makeshift shelter, he prayed with every fiber of his being.

_Please, _Kami, don't let this one be his first.

.

At the end of the day, they still had a mission to complete. So regardless of the fact that one of their teammates was comatose and two others had to remain behind (Rin to heal and Obito to guard the hallowed out tree trunk they were hiding in), the other two ninja still had an obligation to complete their assigned mission even if their heart wasn't really in it. They had each learned something important from this disaster of a mission.

Kakashi, had arguably learned the most, and made it his mission in life to be the best-damned one-eye ninja the world has ever seen. He vowed to get stronger so that he could protect his teammates.

Ironically, Obito learned to never give up on his teammates because sometimes it was the ones that asked for the least amount of help that needed it the most. His dream didn't change so much in quality as it did in character: Hokages needed to be skilled enough to protect all the ninja under them—especially the strong ones.

Rin learned that just as she depended on her teammates for support, they depended on her as well. As she knelt next to Sakura and poured chakra into her ruined back, she quietly pledged to train harder so that everyone she counted on could in turn count on her.

Minato didn't like to think about what he had learned but decided that as soon as they returned to Konoha, he was putting teleportation seals on every floor of the hospital, the hokage tower, his apartment and anywhere else he could think of.

But what Sakura learned wasn't so much as spoken as it was dreamed…

.

_She was bathed in golden light, warm like a soft blanket. She felt strangely… safe, such a rare thing for someone of her profession. So she was dead then?_

"_No, not dead," an ambiguous voice answered her, "You still have a task to complete."_

_She frowned. The spirits were seeking her out? Why? To send her back to her world?_

"_No child, Kami guided your passage to this world to complete your task. Why would he send you back?"_

_She felt anger grow, burning through her chest. She had been ripped from her Konoha, shoved out of the way, sent not only to a different world but a different _time_, and the spirits still expected her to fulfill some paperwork fortune-cookie task for them?!_

_The golden light stirred around her uneasily. "Although you feel betrayed, child, Kami did not curse you. You are precious and beloved, and such a task would not be given if you were unable."_

_Sakura shook herself. What was the point of arguing with spirits? "What's my task?" _

_Again, the golden light drifted around her in a somewhat anxious manner as though she were a bird about to take flight. _

"_You are more than you know," it answered her evasively, "This is the third world you have been in, and in each world, you bring balance and courage. You are the __**key**_, the _pivot, the balance. You turn the broken lock."_

_Sakura didn't understand. She was just a girl, boring and plain and average. She wasn't special._

"_Oh, but you are child. Kami would not have entrusted this task to anyone else."_

"_What task?" Sakura asked again. _

"_You bring balance."_

"_But how?" she persisted, "How do I do that?"_

_She felt as though whatever entity was surrounding her was smiling. "You simply _**do**_. It is your way. It is your nature. By living, you do these things without push or prompt. Your existence alone brings joy and courage even if you do not find it for yourself. _

"_For so many lifetimes and in so many worlds, you have done this without fail. Kami has sent you here for one last task, most trusted and beloved child, to do what you have already done. The time, nearly stolen by the Reaper Grim, has been returned to you in reward."_

_Sakura tried reasoning with the strange spirit, "The fire sages said the fates were thrown off balance when I came here. How is that 'bringing the balance?'"_

"_Sometimes one balance must be disturbed to bring about another."_

"_But that doesn't make sense." _

"_You are a mortal being. The nature of the Gods is beyond your understanding."_

_And Sakura didn't know how to argue. How does one contend with the divine plan of the gods? She wanted more than anything to return to her world, her life, her friends, but she didn't know how to ask that without sounding selfish and self-centered._

"_It is possible," seemingly reading her thoughts the golden presence reluctantly admitted, It shifted as though it was uncomfortable. "There are very few things that are impossible if the person with the necessary skill set comes along."_

_In the strange lighting she made out a figure, tall and masculine. His back was to her, but his spiky blond hair was as characteristic as it was striking. But, as she had recently come to appreciate, from behind, that figure could belong to one of two men. So the question was whose back was she staring at? Naruto or Minato?_

"_Who do you want it to be?" The spirit asked, and Sakura felt as though it were goading her, as if it were trying to trick her into saying a name. _

"_I doesn't matter what I want," she grumbled somewhat bitterly, "I'm stuck with whatever destiny you throw at me."_

_The spirit swirled around her. Resting like a hand on her shoulder, it was a gesture meant to provide comfort and reassurance. "No fate is unbreakable, and no load is unmanageable… but some things are hard to change." _

_Some things are hard to change?_

_Eyebrows furrowing, she struggled to understand the hidden meaning. What was the spirit referring to? Her ability to go back home? Being able to pound some sense into Naruto's thick skull? After a moment of deep contemplation, she gave up on the specifics. The point was that she _could_ change her fate or whatever just that it wouldn't necessarily be easy. She could go home, but it might be a long road to get there._

"_He can help you," the spirit nudged drawing her attention back to the man with uncertain identity. _

_Frowning, Sakura crossed her arms determinedly looking away from the man's back. "I don't want anyone to rescue me. Not anymore. I can figure this out myself."_

"_Don't be silly," the spirit murmured softly, "Being what you are, it shall be __**you**__ who will be rescuing __**him**__."_

…

**End of Part 1**

…

**A/N:** Sorry about the slow updates, but this is probably about the speed I will be able to go at for the summer. I'll update as quickly as I can of course, but I don't want to give you guys any false promises.

Anyways, let me know what you think of the new cover. I was originally going to wait for the start of part 2 before I posted it, but now seemed about as good a time as any.


	10. Part 2: Conscious

**Fate's Allotter: Part 2**

**Chapter 10: Conscious **

.

When she first woke up, it was to the smell of fresh grass and her forehead pressed against warm skin. There was a slight jarring motion, a bounce that was timed to the pace of someone's steps, and it was strange how unconcerned she felt.

Exhausted and mildly delirious, she wasn't sure what was happening, but there was a certainty that it was someone's back she was pressed against, someone's arms that curled under her thighs and kept her supported, and whoever it was that was holding her smelled like cut grass and morning sunlight. Her thoughts kept leading her round and round that thought, grass and sunlight and warmth.

Her arms, which had been dangling limply, pulled together while her fingers curled around fabric. The pace changed, a step skipped, as if the person carrying her was surprised to find her stirring. She shifted again, rolling her head to the side so she could get a look at who was carrying her.

Hair that was bright like sunshine and eyes that were soft and warm and blue. When he felt her move, those eyes shifted from the road ahead of him to the girl on his shoulder. They were close again, so close that she could see the green in them, and she found that she liked that, liked being able to see something that would have been so easy to miss.

"You smell nice," she murmured, not realizing what she was saying, "like someplace warm."

She smiled at him somewhat drunkenly. The skin on his neck flushed, and she watched, strangely fascinated, as a red tint spread over his cheeks. She should have realized what something like that meant, but it felt as though the part of her brain designated for logical thought had been smashed in. Everything felt fuzzy like she was looking through the world with hazy glasses.

He didn't say anything as his eyes shifted back to the road, but he felt her eyes burning through him as she stared at that patch or red skin as though the change in color was the most fascinating thing she had ever seen.

Her brain felt like a constant stream of static, and her smile was sloppy and loose. It didn't take long for the gentle rhythm of his walking to lull her back to sleep. Her grip loosened as she listened to the steady, constant thrum of his heart, and unconsciousness crept upon her with the soothing sound.

.

The group kept moving, slowly working their way back to the border. A whole day had passed, and Sakura hadn't woken up since yesterday morning.

Obito was constantly hovering over her, pelting Rin with questions. Meanwhile, Kakashi and Minato were content to quietly slide into the background, watching, observing, but keeping their thoughts to themselves.

Minato watched Rin's hands work, watched as green chakra steadily worked its way through Sakura's system healing torn skin and chasing away infection. He watched Obito change her bandages with a gentleness that was somewhat surprising, and he watched Sakura as her chest rose and fell.

Sometimes he looked up, watching the treeline as though he was waiting for something else, waiting for dangerous figures to emerge from the shadows, waiting for the man with the haunting mask to return to reclaim his prize.

Kakashi stayed silent as he watched the others work. He gathered firewood and passed out rations, but mostly he kept an eye on his sensei. For the most part, the blond hid his emotions well, but, sometimes, Kakashi would catch him staring off into the trees, his hands balled into fists, his knuckles white. He caught his sensei paying more attention than usual to the traps set up around camp, and noted his hand straying to his weapon pouch with a greater frequency than normal.

As though he was expecting trouble.

Kakashi found himself building a small fire with low light, and when he was sharpening his kunai, he kept his one eye up and scanning the clearing, senses on high alert.

Sometimes he wondered how the other's didn't notice, but a few times he caught Rin and Obito sending him measured looks when he told them that it was better to stick together than to go fishing for dinner. It was then he realized, just like he took his cues from Minato, trusting his experience in the field, his teammates took their cues from _him_.

He wasn't sure how to feel about that, the trust they gave him, the responsibility of leadership they handed over like it was nothing. They worked quietly, their voices low, and keept their eye on him just as he kept his on Minato.

Sakura's condition was really starting to wear on them, and Obito spent a good amount of time pacing, chewing worriedly on his lower lip. It wasn't that her body wasn't healing, but that it was healing far too slowly.

It was strange as though her chakra was rejecting Rin's. It accepted only half of what the brunet poured in, and wounds that should have taken very little time to heal required agonizing hours, leaving poor Rin exhausted and low on chakra.

Rin would talk to fill the measured silence. She would babble on about Sakura not being "that bad" because her reflexes were intact and her eyes were reacting to light. For the most part, the boys didn't understand half the things she was saying about Glasgow coma scores, the evaluation of head injuries, and how chakra compatibility affected wound healing, but her words were confident and reassuring.

The petite kunoichi kept reminding them that this was _normal_, that Sakura was going to be fine. That this was all part of the process.

Even so, Rin still stayed up more than her share of the night on the look out for seizures or signs of organ failure, but as Sakura's status remained stable, her breaths deep and even, Rin finally let out that breath she had been holding.

'_She going to be okay_.'

Sakura's skin was warm, her coloration returning, and her heart thrummed steadily in her chest.

'_Finally_.' A heavy yawn broke through Rin's steely façade. The pinket was _finally_ past the critical stage, and Rin, who had been mostly surviving off of soldier pills, could finally catch up on some much needed sleep.

After strongly lecturing Kakashi and Obito to wake her up if at any point Sakura's condition changed or if there was a sudden turn for the worse, Rin settled down outside of Sakura's tent, asleep before her head hit the ground.

Fate can sometimes have cruel timing, because it was not moments after Rin nodded off, that Sakura's fingers twitched. Kakashi and Obito where busy setting up a guard schedule while Minato was off setting up traps. So, distracted as they were, it was rather unfortunate that all three missed the only indication that the pinket might not be as comatose as they imagined.

.

Her brain was still foggy, but like all shinobi who had survived through Ibiki's interrogation course, it was deeply instilled in her not to show any of the telltale signs that she was anything but dead to the world. Her breathing pattern didn't change, and she didn't so much as flutter an eyelash. The only hint of her change in her mental status was the slight tightening of her muscles.

Sakura listened carefully, only picking up the sound of one or two people moving around. She could sense the presence of multiple chakra signatures in the vicinity, signatures that she did not recognize, and the thought stirred in her gut uncomfortably.

The air was too damp for Fire country, and when she put that thought together with the unfamiliar chakra signatures, she came to an unsettling conclusion: she had been captured.

Taking stock of herself, she realized that her shirt had been disposed of, and while several layers of bandages were wrapped around her torso and preserving her modesty, she still felt naked and exposed. Her weapons pouch had been removed, and she had to forcibly keep her eyes closed to prevent a panic-induced search.

Calm down, she told herself, deep breaths. Remember your training.

As part of the jounin application process, she had to undergo sixty-four hours of interrogation and was required to successfully complete eight escape-from-capture operations.

Given her status as Naruto's only remaining teammate and the only person Sasuke went out of his way to "keep an eye on," this was especially critical for her. She had a target on her back a mile wide, and Sakura had sworn a long time ago that she would never become someone's bargaining chip or put her boys' lives at risk because she had been careless.

To date, she had completed twenty-two successful escapes, only sixteen of which were simulated. She might not be a powerhouse like her boys, but she certainly knew how to get out of a tight situation.

The situation she found herself in now wasn't the worst one she had dealt with either. Despite being clearly outnumbered, her captors hadn't bothered tying her up, and their attention to her was lax at best. Idiots, thinking that a mere injury would slow _her_ down.

.

It took the camp less than three seconds to check on the spike of chakra coming from her tent. Rin had bolted from sleep and was on her feet, shoving the tent flap aside before either of the boys had dropped their equipment.

"Sakura-san?"

No response. The tent was empty, the pink-haired shinobi nowhere in sight.

.

Sakura was quite busy taking advantage of the extra ten to fifteen seconds it took the team to organize themselves as she put as much distance between herself and the unknown ninja team as she possibly could. She cursed when she felt her back as a wound reopen, but she didn't dare slow down or waste chakra trying to heal it.

Her thoughts were still a bit fuzzy and she wondered if it was from head injury or if she had been drugged. She couldn't decide which was worse.

A three-pronged kunai landed on the ground in front of her, and Sakura cursed as she looked back to find where the thrower was. Stupid to give away their position like that, but perhaps they wanted her alive to try and torture information out of her.

Her spin led to her smacking into a body. Hard. Sakura's moment was enough to overcome his balance, and the both ended up tumbling to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

"Oof!" the body under her grunted, but the pinket was already busy working to untangle herself, clawing and scratching at his arm to get free. There was no way, no goddamn way she was dying in a prison cell.

The shinobi beneath her grabbed her wrist intent on keeping her from escaping, but Sakura's other hand found the kunai lodged in the dirt and swung it around to his neck.

She froze as she met his eyes. She knew him.

"It's good to see you up and moving," Minato smiled as though she wasn't actually threatening him with his own kunai.

The truth slammed back into her. She was in the past, no, not just the past, the past of another world. She had spent a month here, and she had very nearly died here. She almost moaned in frustration; so it hadn't just been a bad dream.

Minato was still holding her wrist, but his grip wasn't as tight as it had been, more reassuring than restricting. If he found their position uncomfortable, he didn't show it.

"So I owe you twice over now," she said as she pulled the kunai back from his neck and carefully climbing off of him. First he saved her hairclip, and now he had saved her. How embarrassing. She stared at her feet feeling her cheeks color.

"Just once," he corrected sitting up, "or did you forget that you saved _my_ team? Actually since there are three of them, I think it's fair to say that I owe _you_ one."

Hand on her hip, she looked ready to argue. Minato found it cute in a way, but at the same time her attitude about _owing_ someone or paying them back frustrated him. It's just what you do for people you care about, friends and comrades, you watch their back. Why didn't she get that?

Before she could build up a good rant, Minato quickly jumped ahead of her and changed the subject, "How's your back?"

She blinked, caught off guard. Her mouth had been opening ready to retort, but then he had spun her around and asked her something she wasn't expecting.

.

"_You don't have to be strong in front of me Sakura." Sasuke's piercing onyx eyes tore through her, "I'm not the dobe so you don't have to pretend to smile."_

_He was leaning against the wall, a position which would have appeared casual and indifferent if it was anyone else, but this was Sasuke, the one person on the planet who couldn't be casual if he tried. The way his eyes followed after her pacing movements, it was clear that he was quite amused at her show of uncaring. _

"_I don't know what you are talking about," she sniffed._

"_Oh, I think you do. It's the elephant in the room again isn't it?"_

_Hair flying, eyes blazing furiously, she rounded on him, "Okay what? Want do you want?" _

"_It's not about what _I_ want," Sasuke enunciated unhurriedly, "it's about what I can offer."_

_She grit her teeth at the biting insult. That was just so Sasuke; smug and condescending, taunting her with the knowledge that he knew something that she didn't. _

"_No thanks," she bit back at him acidly, "I'm not interested in your little _deals_."_

_He shrugged his shoulders as if such a statement didn't bother him. "The debts between us are clear; we're even now, but I have come across some information you might find valuable…if you want to strike a bargain that is."_

"_I already told you: not interested. Don't make me repeat myself again."_

_His eyes drifted over her shoulder to a hairclip with small silver bells. "Not even if it's about Naruto?"_

_She stopped pacing mid-stride. Green eyes spun on him dangerously. "What about Naruto?"_

"_It's obvious that he hasn't told you."_

_She was well aware that he was playing with her, trying to trick her into another agreement. So she glared at him as though it would make him any less smug. It didn't work, and his smirk widened in amusement._

"_Ah," he murmured, "so he really __**didn't**__ tell you why."_

_She pursed her lips at him sourly. In that moment, all she could do was glare at her old teammate because __**How dare he stick his nose in her business**__! Her history of rejection was not exactly a secret these days, but Naruto was __**her**__ problem, not his._

"_Isn't it obvious?" she growled in annoyance, "He spelled it out for me plain and simple, and that's that."_

"_Oh?" he pried curiously._

_Sakura was studying her feet, her cheeks inflamed in embarrassment and trampled pride. "I'm his teammate. That's the line."_

_Movement caught her eye as Sasuke shifted, an irritated look crossing his expression. "I'm __**your**__ teammate. He and I are not even in the same field anymore. I'm your __**partner**__, but he's something else, isn't he Sakura? He means something else so stop being coy about it, especially in front of me."_

_Sakura sighed, "What do you want Sasuke?"_

"_I want to strike another deal."_

"_Is that all we are Sasuke? A series of debts to be paid and bargains to be met?"_

_He stared at her, assessing her carefully. "I thought we agreed to be honest with each other."_

"_We are honest," she replied. There was a note of question to her words, as if his previous statement implied otherwise. Had he not been honest with her?_

"_Exactly," Sasuke nodded, "and we both know that everything comes at a cost, even friendships. Everything has a risk to benefit ratio so even if I tell you things freely, I expect some value of return. That is how a partnership works. Have we not been good partners?"_

_She shrugged, "We work together fine, and we're '_honest_._'_"_

"_Precisely, which is why I want to strike a deal. This information is something that I will get no benefit from, in fact, telling you could cost me dearly, so I want to make a deal now that will ensure adequate compensation."_

"_Okay, so what's the deal?"_

"_Are you accepting?"_

_She frowned at his pushiness. "No, but I am listening. Just tell me what you want."_

_He stared at her blankly, assessing. After a long moment he finally said, "I want you to leave Konoha."_

"_For how long."_

"_For good."_

_It was her turn to stare at him as though he was stupid. "You've got to be kidding me. You know there is no way I would ever do that."_

"_Like I said," Sasuke said somewhat coldly, "cost and benefit. I'm not asking you to betray the village, just to live elsewhere, travel around or do whatever you like, but I don't want you to go back to the village. By all means, open up a spy network or start a new hospital system. There's room for people like you anywhere. Just not in Konoha."_

"_What's wrong with Konoha? You're not_… planning_ something are you?"_

"_Not me, no."_

_She eyed him warily, "What aren't you telling me?"_

"_Konoha is not in danger if that what you're asking, not directly at least."_

"_You're not making any sense."_

_He folded his arms across her chest. "I've always been honest with you," he reminded her like it was an excuse for his lack of clarification. _

_She snorted, "Honest yet, but never forthcoming."_

"_No," he agreed, leaning back and staring up at the sky, "but I've been honest. I've never put you in danger you couldn't handle, and I never asked you to do anything that was beyond your abilities. I've always repayed you. For everything, and now I'm just trying to protect my investments."_

"_What does that have to do with anything?"_

_He frowned, the barest hint of frustration. "I'm trying to help you. Your absence from Konoha is my price."_

_She scowled as his loose term of "helping." Sasuke's way of helping usually involved plunging a knife through her friend's back then twisting it until they screamed and swore they would do a better job watering her plants next time she was on a mission. _

_Then there was his thing about checks and balances, of paying back favors strictly and not offering his assistance unless she agreed to pay him back on his terms. It was remarkable how well such a system worked between them, and in time it became something she had come to appreciate in all her relationships. _

_Just like all friendships, there were favors that were given with equal reciprocity. Except when they weren't. Ino would take Sakura's secrets but wouldn't offer her own while Kakashi was prone to pinning her with the bill yet never offering a repayment even in extra training. _

_No, with Sasuke, it was much simpler. She told him one of her secrets, he returned it with his own. She had his back in Snow country, and he fished her out of a river. Simple, easy, but there was no emotion or attachment behind it. Just business. _

"_Okay," she finally said, "say I go along with this. What do I get?"_

_He hesitated again, and if Sakura hadn't known him so well, she could have easily believed that carefully neutral expression meant he was lost in thought, calculating costs and benefits. He wasn't; he knew exactly what he could offer her before he bothered tracking her down._

_The lengthening silence made her apprehensive. It gave her the impression that Sasuke's real goal had been to make her leave the village, for whatever reason he had, and the only way he could coax her into cooperating was by offering information that he did not want to give away. _

_Her stomach churned uncomfortably, a sense dread hanging over her. It was not that it was secrets that he wanted to keep, but something he wanted to keep specifically from her. She chewed on her lower lip nervously._

_Finally, he straightened, his features smoothing as he looked her gaze evenly. "If you leave Konoha, I'll tell you why Naruto keeps acting strange around you and where he keeps going on those long "training" trips."_

_She stared at him dumbstruck. He though this was a fair trade?! Well, he was wrong. It was an offer she would never accept. She wouldn't learn his secrets by a middleman; that was its own kind of betrayal. Either she'd figure it out for herself or Naruto would grow a pair and come clean._

"_No thanks. I'll figure it out on my own."_

_He meet here gaze steadily. Arms across his chest, he spoke without pause, hesitation or doubt. "No Sakura. You won't."_

_But it was the last words that echoed around and around inside her head for days and weeks after Sasuke had left her sight. "Because he'll never tell you."_

_No, Naruto never did._

.

"I'll manage," she finally allowed carefully maintaining distance between them. She knew guys like him, guys that were bright and warm, guys that were easy to get along with, easy to laugh with, easy to smile for. Nice guys, good guys, yet guys that broke your heart without ever meaning to, and when he looked like that, looked so much like _him_, how could she not try and put as much distance between them as she could.

"Here," she said, offering him the stolen kunai.

"You can keep it," he replied easily, "Three prongs kunai are heavier, but they are better for close combat which I'm guessing is a bit more of your style."

"I don't need any charity," she grunted. She had quite enough _charity_ lately for two lifetimes.

Minato smiled having expected as much from her. "Don't think of it as charity. I… dropped it, and you just happened to pick it up."

"Is that so?"

"Yep," he grinned at her, "it's exactly so, finders keepers and such."

"Right." Sakura stared at the strange kunai. Part of her wanted to drop it, abandon it in some field where no one could ever find it, and where she didn't have to look at it again. But, part of her liked the weight, liked the comfortable grip on the handle.

Despite its size, it was balanced at the hilt indicating that it indeed was much more suited for close combat like slashing or stabbing than it was for throwing. Even though it was somewhat shorter than a tanto, the edges of the kunai were thicker and would be less likely to break if she locked blades with an opponent who could throw their weight around.

The seals around the handle were a bit strange and quite unlike anything she had ever seen before. She leaned in, studying it closer. While she was no expert in sealing, the arrangement was odd even to a novice. This kanji in particular…

"What's it like?" Minato asked suddenly pulling her from her thoughts, "the place where you're from?"

"Oh," she stumbled as she was jerked from her train of thought, "er, well… Shouldn't we be getting back to the others?"

He shrugged getting to his feet. "How about we walk and talk."

She nodded, easily falling into step behind him. It was quiet for a moment, just the rustling leaves under a canopy of stars.

"So your home," Minato reminded, "tell me about it."

She really didn't want to talk about it, too afraid she would let something slip. "Why do you want to know?" she said instead.

"You're evading my question," Minato accused.

"And your avoiding mine," she replied tartly.

"You've already seen my home so tell me about yours."

"Why?" she demanded defensively, "What does it matter?"

His eyes studied her, and again Sakura felt naked—not because of her lack of shirt as she was adequately covered, but by the fact that it seemed as though he could see straight through her.

As if he already knew.

As though he were simply waiting for her to come out and say it.

"Because I want to know where someone like you came from."

If anyone else had said it, such a statement could have easily come across as flirting… Baby, where did you _come from_? You must be from heaven because you look like an angel… but Minato wasn't winking or shooting her a teasing smile. His expression was serious as though this was something he needed to know.

Ducking under a tree branch, she was able to dodge the question for another moment, but then he was right back at her side again, expectantly waiting for an answer.

"It's very beautiful," she finally allowed, hoping that would satisfy him.

He frowned. "You'll have to be more specific. There are places that are considered 'beautiful.'"

Sakura shot him an irritated look, annoyed with his continuous pressing.

"Look," he said diplomatically, "I'm not asking for names or anything. I just want to paint a picture in my mind where someone like you might have grown up."

She sighed, and like she seemed to be doing more and more lately, chose her words carefully.

"When my ancestors first discovered the land, they thought of building a village into the very mountain, but when the task became too much of an undertaking, they settled into the land beside it. The forests and rivers were plentiful, and my village thrived.

"When I was a child, I used to explore these places, the old temples and the caves in the mountains. Sometimes I think that is where I first got the idea about being a ninja, because in my village, we have a saying: 'If you seek strength, climb the mountain. If you seek courage, walk through its darkest caves. If you seek wisdom, look at every face of the mountain and know that every angle is different and no feature can be discounted,'

"And when you have done all three, you are considered to have the spirit of a warrior so naturally, I set out to run around the mountain for as long as my feet could carry me.

"My mother used to scold me when I came home sweaty and covered in mud, but when she found out what I was up to, she nearly had my head."

"Why?" Minato asked.

Sakura tugged on her hair. "I was born into low level nobility, but because my hair is so unique and because I wasn't horrendously hideous, there was a very good chance for my parents to arrange for a _beneficial_ marriage."

She was positively red in the face now, staring at her lap in embarrassment since she was unable to meet his eyes. Talking about these kinds of things and what had once been a very real probability at one point in her life was beyond embarrassing for someone who wanted to be called a _shinobi_ not a lady or a noble's wife. She understood her mother's reasons, and perhaps had their positions been reversed, she would have encouraged her daughter to wed into a _safe_, well-off family.

"Anyway," Sakura coughed as the silence stretched into the realm of uncomfortable. "That didn't happen. One day when I was exploring the mountain, I crossed paths with a shinobi… from Konoha," she added the last bit reluctantly, thinking of a way to put a twist on her story that would make her seem more like a girl that had grown up in some outlier village rather than in Konoha itself.

"And well, one thing led to another, and he ended up teaching me about chakra. After that, I was hooked and the rest is history."

She hoped he had bought her story, but that contemplative look he was wearing made her somewhat nervous. It was like he was just collecting pieces of a puzzle and trying to figure out how to put them together.

"I see."

They were nearly back at the camp, and she could see the flickering glow of firelight through the trees.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked.

"You can always ask," he responded with an elusive smile, "Asking doesn't cost anything."

She bit her lip. No, he was wrong. Asking the wrong questions could cost _everything_.

But before she could chicken out, she blurted, "What's your given name?"

"Namikaze," he replied surprised that she didn't already know.

"Are you…" she struggled how form her next question without seeming to intrusive, "By any chance, are you related to any Uzumaki?"

His laughter surprised her, "Uzumaki? Kami, I hope not. Why do you ask?"

"Ah, well," she felt flustered, silly even, for jumping to such conclusions, "There's this boy in my village, and his family name was Uzumaki. He was an orphan though, and we weren't entirely sure who his parents were—well, I think some of the elders knew but they locked their lips like it was a state secret."

"I take it that he looks like me?"

"Yeah," she breathed, "you could have passed for brothers."

"Well, if it's any help, I can ask Uzumaki-san when we get back to the village about any long-lost siblings or distant relatives."

Sakura smiled, '_So there is a Uzumaki in the village—or was at least.'_

She smiled to herself thinking how silly she had been thinking Naruto and Minato could have been related. Naruto was a _Uzuamaki_ after all.

"Thank you, I'd appreciate that."

'_Wait till Naruto learns I got to meet his parents! I'll have to learn as much as I can about them while I can. I'm sure he'll have so many questions'_

'_I wonder what they look like? Maybe a combination of his features, eyes from his mom, nose from his dad, and stuff like that._'

Still, something about that name Namikaze, rang in the back of her mind. It was familiar, someone she should know…

Maybe a name on the memorial stone. The thought chilled her and she tried to push it aside. She didn't want to think about how she could be walking next to someone who already had a time limit next to his name. Especially not when he was right there, smiling at her easily, alive and breathing, and someone she _knew_.

Maybe that's how she could pay him back; help him avoid his fate and his date with the grim reaper. It wasn't like there was any Enforcer to stop her from interfering. Besides, she owed him, and Sakura always paid her dues.

.

It was a humid night in Konoha, and the air was heavy from a recent thunderstorm. The sky was obstructed with heavy clouds decreasing the visibility on the streets. The storm had damaged some of the power lines in the residential sector of the village, and many of the residents were hurring through the darkened streets, eager to get home.

Perched on a slick rooftop, a shadow figure smiled. What a glorious night filled with promise. This had been the very thing he had been waiting for, and a man such as himself was nothing if not an opportunist.

He leapt from rooftop to rooftop, skimming over the slick surfaces. Tonight was the night. His pace slowed as he neared his target, circling it with care. The lights were out, but a small candle seemed to be burning in the room where the children slept.

He considered the small light carefully. No, it was too soon; he would have known if the pink-haired jounin had returned from her mission. One of the children must have lit it, perhaps that Uchiha brat who seemed so intent on standing in his way.

No matter. The Uchiha was still just a boy, a boy with great potential yes, but still just a boy. He was a child dressing up to play soldier, but such virgin hands did not know the meaning of pain any more than they knew how to draw blood. No, the young heir would not be a problem.

Even so, that candlelight in the bedroom made him cautious, and the cloaked figure descended on the safest entry point. The kitchen window was a tight fit, but he managed. His steps were silent, his breaths nothing more than a slight ripple of air, and had it not been for the silhouette he cast in the dim light, no one would have ever detected his presence.

The shadow man looked around him at the vast array of seals that covered the walls. So, the young Uchiha had been busy. How cute. Had he been an ordinary man, such things might have posed a challenge to him, but the shadow merely smiled as though he were doing little more than going through the motions for the amusement of a child. Like this was just some elaborate game.

He knelt, pressing his palm flat against the wooden floorboards. A darkness, a black something bled from the spaces between his fingers, and it rolled outward like a wave of black ink. Crawling forward, writhing like a serpent, it seemingly chose a direction at random, shooting forward with surprising speed.

Tendrils of some hellish creation rolled across the floor, covering the scattered toys, the abandoned tables, and arching over the cracks. Gaining momentum, it violently slapping into the walls, toys clattering as they were shoved aside.

After a moment, the cloaked man smiled. Finally.

A dark tendril crept around the seals and slid under the door. Abruptly, the other tentacles retreated back to the shadows under his palm, curling and twisting and _waiting_.

He licked his lips and smiled sinisterly. He had not considered himself to be human for a long time, decades perhaps, and he found it amusing how at times that people could still believe that he was still mortal. He could be harmed, yes, but it had been a long time, a _very_ long time since someone actually killed him.

The black tentacle snaked through the swath of children, intent on its target. When it suddenly rolled across a single golden curl, it stopped like a dog sniffing the air. _'Yes, this is the one.'_

A kunai slammed down on the darkness, and the connection was broken. The shadow man smiled and waited. A moment later, a body thumped against the floor.

"Itachi!" a muffled voice called out in panic.

The shadow man slide around the now deactivated seal arrays and entered the small bedroom. The girl with the golden chakra was kneeling on the floor shaking the older boy's shoulder, but, sensing the shadow man's presence she looked up seemingly unsurprised.

"Now then Kimi-chan," the hooded man cooed, "let's go home."

The little girl whipped her eyes. "I had wondered who had been sneaking around the building the past few nights."

The shadow froze. That was not the voice of a child. The form of Kimi morphed and the image of five other sleeping children vanished, and a much older woman stood in the center of an essentially empty room, the young Uchiha heir still slumped on the ground at her feet.

"_**You**_," he growled.

"Why so surprised?" Mrs. Kirk asked with a tilt in her head. "After all we've been through, did you really think I would just stand aside?"

"You are a fool."

"Perhaps," she allowed, "but I am far from foolish. Just because I have lost hope for you does not mean I have lost hope for them."

"Tell me where you have hidden the girl," he all but growled at her.

The much shorter woman hardly appeared ruffled. "Still demanding the world to change to your whims? You keep screaming and kicking like a child, forcing the world to change just because you refuse to. Stupid and stubborn, you will never get what you want."

"Like you could stand in my way."

She snorted as if it were some old joke between them.

The cloaked man straightened, bristling at her unspoken insult. "I have a right to claim orphans," he declared loudly as though strong words could make it so.

"These are not orphans," Mrs. Kirk replied, "Not this time."

The dark figure laughed. "Please, that child has even less right to claim them as you do."

The older woman's eyes narrowed. "Even ducklings recognize their parents."

"Ducklings can be led astray," the man contradicted.

"So can men like you," Mrs. Kirk stated calmly.

The shadow bristled. "She is the last of her kind. I need her."

"People believe that they need all kinds of things. Sota thinks he needs a pet spider, but you don't see him making a mess of things when he doesn't get his way."

"And," she muttered dangerously, "you don't see Sota killing everyone else's _spider_ just because he can't have one."

His eyes narrowed while his posture became more aggressive. "Do not test my patience."

The old woman was about to reply when suddenly, the boy at her feet began to stir. Both adults froze as their eyes locked on the young Uchiha.

The hooded man took a step back, retreating from the bedroom. The boy was still alive? How was it possible? There shouldn't be enough room in this world for two—

"Above all things, you are a coward," Mrs. Kirk called after him. "You can't even face your own shadow."

The cloaked man ignored her as he backpeddled. "You will regret this," He muttered softly, his eyes lingering on Itachi, "You will regret ever coming to this world."

Mrs. Kirk watched as he vanished back into the shadows, not taking her eyes off of him until she was sure he had gone. A moment later Itachi sat up, rubbing his head.

"You know him." Only Itachi could speak with the confidence that turned a question into a statement, and even though it wasn't spoken with any infliction of accusation, Mrs. Kirk still felt the sting of what was left unsaid.

"I used to think I did when I was young and naïve, but with age comes wisdom and the understanding that I never did know him."

"Why is he here?"

Mrs. Kirk shot him a sideways glance. "You already know the answer to that."

Itachi nodded to himself, his eyes casting around the destroyed sealing array. All his plans and preparations had been worthless against such a foe, and had Mrs. Kirk not stepped in, Kimi would be long gone by now.

"I see your intentions boy," Mrs. Kirk tutted at his rather tense posture, "and I know you mean well despite what others will accuse you of. Strength only arises through adversity, and when the time comes you will protect her."

Itachi was quiet for a long time contemplating her words with a seriousness that was unusual for a child his age. "You say I will, and if such an ability is within me, then I shall."

Mrs. Kirk patted his head in what would have seemed like an affectionate gesture but on her seemed more mechanical and forced. It was as though she didn't really want to touch him, but didn't want such a thing to be obvious.

Even so, Itachi only put up with two awkward pats before he squirmed out of her reach. Dark eyes studied the older woman carefully. "Who was that man?"

She stared at him as though she couldn't believe he would ask such a thing, and after a long moment, she finally said, "Just someone who never gets what he wants."

Although Itachi continued to stare at her, demanding answers and elaboration, Mrs. Kirk only met his gaze with pursed lips and silence. Even though she no longer held any loyalty to the man behind the mask, this was one secret she refused to give away.

In her many years of travel, she had learned a lot about fate, perhaps even more so than the three individuals that formed the fates. In every world, there was a number of roads a given person could walk down. Some were taken with more frequency than others, and some roads were never traveled down.

Not unless there was some "glitch." In her world, there had been a deviation, a potential which was not present in many other planes of existence. Her home world had been such a place, and it had produced a man so incapable of losing that he could never win. Bent and twisted, dangerous and destructive, he put on a mask and defied his humanity.

He destroyed her world and then countless others, and she had mourned, her heart heavy with the pain of regret. It had been her fault, you see, that he became this way.

This world had the same uneasy potential that her world once had so it was up to her to keep the world from tilting on its head.

Or, rather, it came down to a different version of her making the right decisions this time. Mrs. Kirk, who wasn't really a Mrs. or a Kirk, hoped that a young mirror version of herself was stronger than she had been and didn't hesitate as she once had.

Please let the _key_ that unlocked so much potential pause and let the door swing closed this time.

Her eyes glittered in the dim light as she tried to not see a world where a single mistake had torn it all apart. When Itachi finally turned away, she pressed her hands together, praying to deities that no longer cared to hear her.

'_Please.'_

_._

_It had been a long time since she had last seen him, but there the dark prince slouched like a king upon his throne, smirking down upon her as though he were waiting for her to grovel at his feet. Green eyes flashed at him indignantly._

"_So have you changed your mind?"_

_He toyed with the hilt of his sword, eyes hooded and dangerous, the lines of his mouth twisted and cruel. She refuses to kneel like the others before her, and his lips tilt at the implication. She truly was his equal._

_She does not smile, does not break his stare. She watches him coolly although her fingers yearn for the familiar handle of her blade. _

_Dark fabric flies behind him as he suddenly stands and strides across the floor. He is not a large man, but a lean figure of menace, all dark armor and metal plates. _

_She does not move or flinch away, but the hardness of her eyes full of threats and promises. A cold hatred that has never ceased. He doesn't break his stride, as her frosty welcome only pleases him more._

_She stands there , a bright shining point in the darkness of this world, all feral grace. She is beautiful and terrible, a warrior-goddess. She is fire to his ice, hot blood to his chill steel, both his torment and his salvation._

_He stands before her, cloak swishing behind him, and dark green eyes glare up at him in defiance, the horse that could never be broken. And yet… here she is. _

_His gaze is smoldering as he eyes her bloody hands, and she stares back at him, unafraid. Both know what will happen next. He catches her in a fierce passionate embrace. She does not move to return it, her shoulders stiff and eyes burning in fury.__  
_

_She hates him, hates all that he has done and all that he will do. She hates herself for coming before like a weak-kneed coward, but she did what she had to. It's not submission, they both know this; it's a game of calculation and patience._

_Leaning forward so that her lips brush against his ear, she finally speaks to him, the first words she has spoken to him since their long journey began._

"_You will NEVER get what you want."_

..

**A/N:** So this was a long chapter, but I hope it was well worth the wait! Thanks to everyone who reads, reviews, favorites, or follows my story. You guys rock my socks!

Anyways, everyone have a great weekend!


	11. Speed

**Fate's Allotter Part 2**

**Ch 11: Speed**

.

_The last Uchiha had finally located his target, but this time there were no jokes or half-smiles. _

"_Hey dobe."_

_Naruto didn't respond and continued quietly meditating. There had been a long history of violence between them, and at least one of them would have had their hands covered in a former teammate's blood had someone else not stepped in the way. Sometimes, Sasuke thought, this is why genin teams were composed of three._

"_Did she send you here?" the blond asked, his voice deceptively calm._

_Sasuke grunted. "You know she's much too stubborn for that."_

"_How did you even find me?"_

_Sasuke shrugged. "If you meant for it to be a challenge, then don't leave a trail of expired ramen cups."_

"_Heh," Naruto smiled, "as if I'd let ramen expire."_

_There was a moment of quiet peace between them as if they hadn't tried to kill each other half a dozen times. It was one of those hopeful moments, as if they could be, well not comrades, but at least on the same side. Of course, these moments never last, and as was typical, it was Sasuke who broke the quiet truce._

"_She's gone."_

_Naruto slowly spun around to face him, the blue of his eyes boiling over into crimson. "What do you mean, she's __**gone**__?"_

_Sasuke had never been the type to beat around the bush or attempt to soften the blow. "It happened just like that old toad said it would. She went back to Konoha, and he grabbed her."_

_Naruto's shoulders started shaking, no convulsing, as an unmatched fury rolled into his expression. "__**Why didn't you stop her?!**__"_

_Power rolled over him in waves, as the kyubi's chakra seeped from the seal. The air buzzed with electricity as an unforgiving red energy pulsed around Naruto's hands._

_Sasuke didn't so much as bat an eyelash. "The real question is why didn't __**you**__?"_

_With a demonic snarl, Naruto lunged._

.

"You're not using enough chakra," Sakura chided, "It doesn't go deep enough to reach the internal injuries which means the wounds are more likely to reopen. Try focusing the same amount into a smaller area. It will take longer, but it won't wear on your reserves as much."

"Hai," Rin said with a look of concentration as she redoubled her efforts. After a minute or two, Sakura could feel Rin's chakra reaching the deeper layers of her back.

"That's much better," she encouraged, "Let me know when you start to feel a strain though, and we'll stop."

The brunet nodded as her hands slowly traveled across Sakura's upper back. Her shoulders had taken the worst punishment during the cave-in, and it was the part of her body that Sakura was most eager to have healed. Once she could move her shoulders without opening any wounds, she could help Rin heal her lower back.

Though by the look of things, it shouldn't be too much longer before they reached Konoha. Sakura couldn't wait; the quicker they got to the hospital, the sooner she could stop being a burden on her team.

She didn't quite know what to make of Minato, he was quiet and held himself in a way that suggested he was ready to spring at the slightest hint of trouble yet had this forced kind of nonchalance about him, as if he didn't want to _worry_ them or something.

She wondered what had happened with the masked man, what words had been exchanged that had the blond shinobi constantly on alert, looking over his shoulder. Whenever they weren't moving the blond shinobi kept his fingers pressed to the ground as though he were trying to sense vibrations through the earth.

Sakura kept an eye on him while Rin worked on her back. Tense, ready, waiting.

But then it was like someone flicked a switch, and Minato exhaled, his hand retreating back to rest on his knee. The subtle tightness of his posture loosened, and he relaxed, almost smiling in relief.

Catching the change in his body language, there seemed to be a collective release of air amongst the rest of the team. Kakashi stopped sharpening his kunai, and Obito's frantic pacing slowed. Sakura could feel the tension drain out of Rin as her arms relaxed, the looser muscles easing the flow of chakra.

Blue eyes flickered over to her, watching her watch him, and Sakura realized that she had been staring. Rather than ducking her head and averting her eyes like an ashamed schoolgirl, she held his gaze for a moment before letting it naturally wander away to a point over his shoulder.

As though she had only happened to be looking in his direction when their eyes met.

Five heads tilted upward as a shadow rolled across the clearing. A small bird with something tied to its leg. Obito was about to move to intercept it—as messenger birds, especially those in enemy territory, could hold very _valuable_ information—but then the bird swooped, circling back around.

Sakura reacted on an old habit, holding out her arm for the bird to land on. Talons dug into her forearm, scraping through skin, and in the flurry of feathers, Rin stepped back with a look of surprise.

Sakura smothered a smile. They truly were green chunin if they had never received a messenger hawk before. The beautiful golden-brown bird pecked at her fingers as though it were looking for food, finding none, it shrieked in her ears, golden eyes fierce and demanding.

"Fine, fine, hang on," she dug through her pack. There wasn't much that would interest a bird of his size: food pills and the like, but eventually her hands found some beef jerky. The hawk didn't look particularly pleased at her measly offerings, but gulped them down just the same.

Giving her another glare that seemed to say, '_you better do better next time,_' he finally held out his leg. While Sakura unwound the green scroll, the three chunin hovered around the giant bird, eyeing it with various degrees of curiosity.

"I've never seen one of these birds up close before," Obito admitted with an almost reverent tone.

"Work in the field long enough," Sakura grunted as she struggled one-handed with a particularly frustrating knot, "and this is all you'll see."

She shifted trying to get a better angle when suddenly another pair of hands appeared next to her.

"I'll get it."

The hawk's head swiveled around, and it screeched irritably at Minato for the intrusion of space. Sakura stood stock-still.

It felt like electric, white-hot sparks, running down her arm where his fingers brushed against her skin, and she couldn't decide if the jolting sensation was painful…or exciting. Warm air brushed against her shoulder as he breathed, and this tingling sensation ran from the bottom of her spine upward to her neck. She felt tense and off-centered as she shoved those fingers away.

"I don't need _your_ help." She didn't mean for it to come out bitter and angry, but she was tired of people trying to "help" her, trying to dictate the course of her life. She was _fine_ thank-you-very-much so why couldn't everyone get the hell out of her way.

In shock more than anything, Minato let her push his hands out of the way, letting them fall uselessly to his side. As she went back to her one-handed struggle, he started at her bewildered as she struggled on alone. Fighting. Always fighting.

Her fingers tingled, and she blamed it on the hawk's tight grip on her arm. When she finally got the scroll free, the large bird shifted up to her bicep so her other hand was free to open the scroll. Sakura winced as the sharp claws dug into her arm, but she worked to keep her arm steady, hoping the hawk wouldn't keep shifting around.

Opening the scroll, she stared at the message blankly. It was an old code, naturally, so it took her a few minutes to recall the deciphering key, but when she did, her eye immediately darted over to Minato, wide in shock.

It was a suicide mission.

Numbly, she felt him take the scroll from her fingers, reading it for himself.

Minato Namikaze.

It was a suicide mission, and it had his name on it.

Minato kept reading and re-reading the paper, and she felt the chunin shifting uncomfortably, eyes darting between the two of them. Obito shifted from foot to foot while Rin rung her hands. Kakashi's gaze was particularly scathing as his one eye sharpened, demanding answers.

Minato sighed, rolling back up the scroll. "Well, that's that."

Without a second thought, he moved away from the other four, dropping the scroll in the fire as he went. Sakura's eyes chased after him as he closed up his pack, pulling the strap taut.

"You're not…" she struggled to voice her thoughts, "You're not actually going to _accept_ it are you?"

He shrugged, almost nonchalantly. "Orders are orders."

Fury rose through her throat, choking off common sense. She didn't remember crossing the clearing, but suddenly she was there in his face, arm raised as if to slap him. He caught her hand, but she twisted it around, wrenching it free.

She was screaming at him, the exact words lost, but the message clear. Suicide mission, his name on it, his accepting it, and she was yelling at the top of her lungs while he stared back at her blandly, calm and collected.

The chunin were shocked, at a loss for words. The hawk, however was beyond irritated and kept pecking painfully at her ear, shrieking as she threw it off-balance. It nipped at her earring, claws digging harshly into her shoulder, but she didn't so much as flinch, too lost in her blind anger.

"—I'm not going to let you—throwing your life away!—You stupid, moronic bastard!—and you'll think I'll just—"

He abruptly grabbed her arms, and she stopped mid-sentence. It was not so much that he had grabbed her, but the way his fingers wrapped around her arm. The shock of electricity is what cut her words short, and she could feel it racing down her nerves, leaving her skin tingling and this inexplicable _raw_ feeling.

She tried to shake it off, to power through the feeling, but suddenly she realized how close they were standing, and the way his arms were sliding up her biceps to her shoulders left her mind utterly and completely blank.

Fear, she felt it acutely, but the source was harder to pinpoint now. She was afraid for him, but _terrified_ of how close they suddenly were and how his fingers were brushing against her face, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Keep an eye on my team will you? Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

It was like she had malfunctioned, like someone had short-circuited her hard-drive and didn't bother rebooting the program. So she was just left fumbling on autopilot, overwhelmed and not sure how to wiggle out of her current situation.

_Stop him! Stop him!_ Her brain chanted, but she just stood there immobile, watching him sling his pack over his shoulder as if he did this every day.

"You better come back," she found herself saying, hands balled into fists.

He smiled at her warmly as if he wasn't afraid in the slightest. "I always do."

She wanted to scream, wanted to latch onto him, hold him down and _keep him safe_. She wanted to knock some sense into his head and drag him somewhere far away from death sentences and S-class missions.

_Minato Namizaze_.

She didn't want him to go, didn't want him to die, and she didn't want to see his name on the memorial stone.

She struggled against herself, but her feet stayed rooted to the spot. Her shoulders were tense, hands clenched, as she watched him walk away. She waited until he was out of her sight, then waited some more, not trusting herself to move.

She waited until Rin put a hand on her arm, as soft smile meant to comfort. "It's like he says," the short girl assured her, "Minato-sensei always comes back."

Sakura chewed on her bottom lip nervously all too aware of the statistical likelihood of such a thing, and guilt gnawed at her stomach at how she just stood there, letting him walk to his death.

_Don't be silly. It's you that will be saving him._

"Are you alright?" Obito asked coming up to her side.

"It's nothing," she shook her head almost mechanically as if she was trying to prove something to herself. Obito looked at Rin and saw his concern reflected through her. Then he looked back at Kakashi.

Kakashi stood stiffly off to the side, quietly evaluating the situation. His gaze lingered on a particular spot, and Obito found himself following his line of sight. It led to Sakura's pack or, more specifically, the pocket that would hang off her right hip. There was a somewhat bulky shape present.

Eyes widening in recognition, he looked back at Kakashi hoping he could explain it, but the silver-haired boy only shrugged as if he didn't get it either.

"It's just that," Sakura mumbled mostly to herself, "I never did pay him back."

.

The atmosphere was greatly subdued as the team crossed back into the borders of fire country. Kakashi took point, while the other three fell into a stead pace behind him. It was a long time before another word was spoken as grim reality held them in cold, contemplative silence.

_Please let him come back_.

.

Minato shuddered. It was a massacre, a blood bath, where the groans of the dying would have to go unanswered. There was no help for them. The "help" was dead. There was no more back up, just him, alone, armed with only half a dozen kunai.

Against the might of the Iwagakure army.

They hadn't seen him yet from where he balanced preciously on the edge of a branch, and he only had enough time to calm his breathing. Drawing on his courage, he remembered a place far from this.

He pictured himself sitting on the top of a mountain overlooking a thriving village. A place where his boyhood self had spent many an afternoon overlooking the simplistic beauty of the village hidden in the leaves. Wind rustled through his hair while his legs dangled over the edge. Under that blue sky, he had smiled recklessly and unafraid, proud of his home. It was the day he decided to become a shinobi, the day he decided to protect his home no matter what the costs.

Faces and friends flashed before him, a group of children playing in the park, a young woman smiling as she bathed in the sunlight. He saw his team practicing, saw them growing up and realizing what being a shinobi meant.

He would protect them with his life. He would carry any burden. He would fight so they wouldn't have to, he would let his own hands be drenched in blood so no one else would have to worry if their parents, friends, comrades, _family_ would make it home. No more wars or sacrifices or meaningless deaths. He would do everything within his power to make it so. No more orphans, no more broken families.

It was a promise. A promise of a lifetime.

.

Tatewake Kuno was a subpar jounin. The fact of the matter was that he shouldn't have been promoted in the first place given his woefully lacking taijutsu skill. Yet, times of war had this way of lowering the standard requirements necessary for promotion, which is how the young Kuno found himself on the frontlines of the Third Shinobi War at the ripe age of seventeen.

Despite what could be said about his taijutsu skills, youth, and relative inexperience, out of all the Iwa shinobi gathered on the ridge that morning, Tatewake Kuno was the first one to spot the leaf shinobi approaching their base camp.

Protocol dictated that he was to sound the alarm with efficiency and speed, but dropping his plate full of eggs and giving a short yelp of surprise seemed equally effective in catching his teammates' attention. The sounds of clinking utensils and general breakfast commotion ceased. It started with his platoon, but others quickly followed as a wave of silence rolled over the stone army.

Kuno squinted at the blond haired shinobi trying to understand what gave him such a presence, how one person could quiet an entire army of ninja.

His captain's hand fell heavily on his shoulder, and Kuno flinched at the surprising contact. The commander, however, was not looking at his youngest recruit, his eyes directed only on the leaf shinobi.

"That's Minato Namikaze," the captain said. Although his voice was quiet, his words seem to carry over the whole platoon. "This man is very likely to be the end of us."

A shudder ran through Kuno's body when suddenly the blond shinobi turned his head and electric blue eyes shot right through the young teen. Kuno felt himself shrink under that gaze; it was not one of anger or hate but resignation and…_pity_.

"Don't think of backing out on me now boys," his captain commanded them, "There is a time to take counsel of your fears, and there is a time to never listen to any fear.

"No matter what skills a man may possess, there is no such thing as a sure fight, a clenching victory. There is only luck, timing, and opportunity. May Kami bless you with all three."

As his comrades unsheathed their weapons, their faces set in grim determination, Kuno was the last one to pull out his blade. It was not a reluctance born strictly of fear, but the intense desire to escape his captain's firm grip.

The blond man was still staring at him with a look of pity. Then, in less time than it took Kuno to blink, the man was gone.

.

They had taken a roundabout path, checking in at the patrol stations as they went.

It was partially to ensure that they were never completely without backup (given that they had to watch out for a wounded teammate) but mostly to make sure that no enemy forces found an avenue to slip through. Usually this was a job for more experienced chunin, but since they were already in the area, they might as well check in, deliver a few messages, and do some quick border patrol.

On some of the larger stations, they could stay for the night. The quarters were cramped and the food wasn't the greatest, but all four agreed that after weeks of camping and surviving on rations, it was nice to have a roof over their heads.

The smaller towers had been stripped down to their bare bones. Manned by the minimum two sleepy-eyed chunin, they didn't have the room or supplies to assist the passing shinobi. The smaller towers were more of a chore than anything. Every person had to have their identity checked by the two chunin guards, and the two guards had to have their IDs checked in turn.

Once everyone confirmed that everyone else was who they claimed to be, the foursome could go on their merry way, and the chunin not on guard could finally go back to bed.

Given the amount of hassle involved, whenever they got to one of the smaller outposts, Sakura would usually send one of her teammates ahead to get the formalities over with. Kakashi, being the fastest, typically elected himself to make the quick trip to check-in at the patrol station. This gave Rin time to work on Sakura's back while Obito, who had a keen eye for plants, scoured the area for something edible.

It was a good system, and so far, everything had been going smoothly, but somewhere in the middle of their second week, the trio found themselves waiting longer than usual for Kakashi to finish his run. It was a rough terrain so it wasn't entirely surprising, but given that this was _Kakashi_ who was a stickler for arriving on time (a fact Sakura still found deliciously ironic), it made the group somewhat antsy.

The pinket could understand a short delay as the teen had been pushing himself a good deal these past few days, but running thirty minutes behind schedule was pushing it, rough terrain or not.

"Obito," Sakura called over her shoulder, "I want you to get some traps set up."

The boy paused from where he had been nervously sorting through an array of nuts. Sakura could almost see the wheels turning in his mind, and just as his mouth opened to ask the cursed _why_ question, something clicked behind those vibrant orange goggles. _Oh_.

"R-Right!"

Rin watched him vanish into the trees, biting her lower lip in unease. "It has been a while hasn't it?"

"Don't worry yet," Sakura tried to assure her, "How does my right shoulder look?"

"Good, but it'll probably be sore for a while."

"That's fine." Sore she could work with, immobility and internal bleeding less so. Rolling her shoulder experimentally, Sakura decided it was good enough.

"How are your reserves doing?" she asked Rin as she reached over her own shoulder to expedite the healing process.

"Sixty percent," Rin murmured quietly, "but I have two soldier pills in my pack."

Sakura digested that for a moment, internally debating the best options, but before she could settle on anything, Obito's shrill whistle alerted them to incoming ninja. Sakura's senses flared as she picked up four chakra signatures, only three of which were unique: two genin, one clone, and a jounin.

No Kakashi.

Making a snap decision, she barked at Rin, "Find Obito. If it looks like I can handle it, then the two of you will track down Kakashi—discretely."

The girl nodded looking determined. As she disappeared into the trees, Sakura felt Rin's chakra signature vanish as if it were swallowed into the very shadows. Clever girl.

The pinket stood alone in the clearing. Waiting. Her arm was still pressing into her shoulder while soft green chakra steeped into the shrinking wound. She must have been a sight indeed to the three ninja: strange pink hair, a shinny brand new leaf hitiate, raggedy peasants clothes, bandages up to her torso, and a careless stance that was neither aggressive nor defensive. As though she had no idea someone was watching her.

In the corner of her eye, she saw the two genin move to flank her while Obito adjust his position so that he was at a better angle to intercept them.

"I always thought that Iwa ninja hated hiding in trees," Sakura called trying to grab the foreign shinobi's attention. She didn't want her team to get involved unless absolutely necessary. Someone had to find Kakashi.

A large insect flew towards her, and Sakura caught it by the wings. She blinked in surprise. A bee?

No, its body was far too large to be an ordinary bee and this was not the right habitat for them anyways. As Sakura inspected the insect closer, she noted that the stinger was a good deal longer than any normal bee's would have been and a thickened exoskeleton that was built for battle.

Her face hardened in sudden recognition. These were the same "bees" that had nearly blinded Hinata-chan years ago and had very nearly cost Kiba his life in his attempt to rescue his teammate. Oh yes, she recognized these _pests_.

'_So,_' Sakura thought as she crushed the insect between her thumb and forefinger, _'It looks like I'll be doing another round with the Kamizuru clan and their giant hornets.'_

In her time, the Kamizuru clan was nearly extinct with only one surviving member that she was aware of. In a way, they were similar to Konoha's Aburame clan in that they summoned insects (hornets in this case) into battle, but their relationship with their insects was less symbiotic and more along the lines of forced partnership. Unlike the Abruame, the Kamizuru did not feed their insects' chakra or let them infest their bodies. Their control over their hornets was believed to be more due to pheromones than a genuine connection.

Despite this, Sakura would have to approach this team with caution as the hornets were particularly troublesome for close range physical attacks since they released some kind of sticky substance that, in enough quantity, could potentially immobilize her.

As she estimated the amount of force it took to separate her thumb and finger from the sticky goo left behind by the crushed insect, she began calculating how many "hits" of this concoction she could take before her mobility was significantly impacted.

The amount of resistance she was facing was somewhat surprising, but with a bit of chakra, the sticky goo seemed to melt right off. It was a shame she had not mastered more water techniques since, undoubtedly, they would have come in handy here.

Yet it was the stings that worried her the most. While the goo would just reduce her mobility, enough stings were toxic. Small doses weren't particularly dangerous, producing mild hallucinations at the worst, but given that there were so few of these hornets in her time, she didn't have good data on the toxicity doses.

She knew enough about medicine to realize that, given a large enough concentration, anything was poisonous. The Kamizuru clan wouldn't have been so famed if their insects weren't shinobi grade weapons.

It would be interesting to fight a member of the clan back when they were at their peak.

Sakura pulled out eight kunai, one between each of her fingers. Too bad she didn't have any of Naruto's infamous stink pellets with her, she thought with a smile. Those things were potent enough to confuse even Shino's bugs.

A large swarm of hornets exploded from the trees to her left—_time to dance_—and she became a whirl of motion and flying pink hair.

.

The two chunin had loitered behind, concerned about Sakura taking on so many opponents solo. She still had a plethora of bandages wrapped around her torso that marked her as injured. An easy target, and if age indicated rank, then she could be a very valuable source of information.

Rin studied Sakura's stance carefully. While Kakashi was easily the best tactician on the team, Rin was the best scout. She was quiet and unassuming, and picked up things others may have easily missed.

After a long minute of careful observation, she tugged on Obito's arm. "Let's go. Sakura-san can handle them."

The dark haired boy's head swiveled to look at her. "Huh? How do you know?"

"She's smiling," the kunoichi pointed out, "but if you're still worried, you can leave a clone behind to spring the traps in case she gets in a tight spot."

"Fine," Obito groaned as he formed the necessary hand seals, "Let's go find the bastard."

.

As part of her training as a medic nin, Tsunade had considered dodging to be the most crucial aspect of that field. So much so in fact, that she refused to teach Sakura anything higher than mystic palm technique until the pinket had mastered this element of taijutsu. On one afternoon when her sensei had a particularly gruesome hangover, Tsunade had taken to throwing wasp nests at her apprentice instead of the usual baseballs.

There wasn't a single soul in the village that day who didn't see the screaming pink banshee sprinting through the streets as a cloud of angry buzzing wasps followed in hot pursuit. Ino, who had been tucked safely inside her flower shop, had laughed her head off when she saw Sakura's swollen face and teased her about 'finally growing into that massive forehead.'

It wasn't a total loss though. Even though the experience was beyond traumatizing—and Sakura began doubting her sensei's sanity—it was the first time she had discovered that she could use chakra as a weapon. Ino hadn't been able to tell under all of that swollen skin, but deep down, Sakura had been smiling. Finally. She had finally done something right, something that made her feel like a real ninja.

And now, as she spun and dodged and sliced through the hive, she had never felt more alive. Her heart racing, adrenaline burning through her veins, her eyes wide and bright, it was just like the time she had faced Sasori of the Red sand. Confidence surged through her because even though the battle was far from over, even though her opponent was highly skilled, _she would win_. There was not a cell in her body that doubted that.

Sticky sap splattered on her arms and torso as she wove through the crowd of flying needles, and her target—the funny-smelling jounin—looked absolutely shocked when she landed on the tree branch above him.

'_Oops, overshot it.'_

An exploding tag whizzed by her ear, a gift from one of the genin. She almost felt bad for the kid when she did a quick replacement jutsu with the jounin sensei before letting go of the branch and allowing gravity to carry her out of the blast radius.

_Boom!_

Sakura grimaced. It shouldn't have been that easy, like grocery shopping; she could have just shun-shinned away. The kid who threw the explosion tag appeared stunned so Sakura turned her attention to the other boy who was rapidly forming earth clones.

Earth clones were a bit tricky because they _felt_ somewhat real and they didn't immediately die once you hit something vital. In Sakura's experience the only good way to take care of them was outright decapitation, but even that was a bit brutal for her standards. Besides, genin were much more valuable alive. While they weren't necessary the wells of information that jounin or chunin were, they were much easier to convince.

She spun on her heel, facing him with an icy glare. For a moment, the genin stumbled, his hand seals slowing while the earth clone production came to a screeching halt. He looked beyond terrified to have her complete attention.

"Surrender," she demanded, "and I won't kill you,"

Ninja honor meant that almost no one took up that offer, but let it never be said that the pinket never gave it. True to tradition, the Iwa genin's expression shifted into one of grim determination. He didn't reply her directly, but as a rocky clone emerged from the ground, its fierce glare at her was answer enough.

_You killed my sensei. I will never surrender to the likes of __**you**_.

"Fireball no jutsu!" a voice interrupted the stare down—Obito—as a giant wall of fire rained down of the genin and his earth clones. Not waiting to see the end result, Sakura moved back to the previously stunned genin and quickly knocked him out with a blow to the head. Hearing the sound of kunai clashing, she hurriedly dragged the unconscious boy over to the clearing.

"Surrender," she ordered for a second time, "or I will be forced to kill your teammate." She held a kunai up to the boy's neck, her eyes firm and unyielding.

The sounds of struggle stopped before Obito was seen leading the other boy into the clearing. His Sharingan was activated, and he looked beyond furious.

"We should kill them Sakura," Obito said coldly, "after what they did to Kakashi…"

Sakura's blood ran cold. "What did they do to Kakashi?" she asked dangerously.

But Obito didn't have to answer because just then Rin entered the clearing looking for the world as though her heart had been stabbed. Kakashi, slumped on her back, looked very much like Sasuke had after his battle with Haku: bloody and broken and looking very much as though he would never breathe again.

.

_She rolled him on his back searching desperately for a pulse._

"_No…" she murmured in disbelief, "there's no way…" _

_Naruto was standing protectively in front of her, and as the world began to blur behind a wave of tears, she looked up at the blond desperately as though he could provide some miracle. Naruto's hands were clenched and his shoulders were shaking. _

_A red aura pulsed around the orange clad shinobi, and Sakura shuddered at the malicious feel to it. It was the first time she had experienced killing intent so acutely, and even if it wasn't technically directed at her, she still trembled like a leaf._

.

"Tie them up," Sakura said firmly.

"But—"

"I said tie them up!"

Obito looked as though she had slapped him and called his mother a harlot, but Sakura didn't care. His glare bounced right off her as she dumped the unconscious genin on the ground before rushing over and lifting Kakashi off of Rin's back.

Her eyes scanned over the wounds, diagnosing the damage and calculating the amount of blood loss. There were some superficial scrapes here and there, some bruising along his jaw, but the most significant injury was easily pinpointed to his back.

Rolling him on his stomach, a kunai sliced open Kakashi's shirt without a second thought. As she scanned through the bloody mess with a quick wave of diagnostic chakra, she bit her lip to keep from screaming. His spleen had been punctured, and he was bleeding internally.

That wasn't something she could heal barehanded and performing an open surgery in the middle of the wilderness was just asking for trouble. Time was of the essence, each second critical. She didn't like her options, but she already knew which one she would make, which one she would always make.

"Rin, do you have any blood replenishing pills or soldier pills?"

'Hai, two of each."

Sakura did a quick calculation in her head and nodded. "Out of the three of us, I'm probably the fastest."

Obito, who had just finished tying up the second genin, protested instantly, "There is _no way_! Your back is still bleeding."

Sakura ignored him holding her hand out for the soldier pills. Rin, still crying, held on to them reluctantly.

"I've got the most chakra left," Obito argued, "I'll carry the baka."

"Can you get him there in three hours?" Sakura demanded of him, her voice fierce and deadly, "because one minute longer than that and He. Will. Die."

Obito stood stock still, his eyes wide and his Sharingan spinning. They both knew he couldn't do it. At best, his top speed would be within four hours. Rin whimpered before dumping the four pills into Sakura's palm.

"You can't, you're hurt," Obito protested weakly seeming to realize it was useless.

"If I don't do this, then Kakashi _will_ die, and I _never_ let my teammates die before me." Her lower back was bleeding again, but it didn't seem to be bothering her much as she quickly added an extra roll of bandages over the injury. "Arguing is just wasting time that we don't have so help me get Kakashi situated."

Rin moved to help her, gently settling Kakashi over her shoulders. Sakura adjusted her grip minutely, and when she was sure he wouldn't fall, she stood.

Before she took off, she left the remaining teammates with one last standing order. "Get these two back to Konoha by nightfall. If you aren't back by sunset than gods help me I will drag my corpse out after you."

Obito frowned. "We'll be there."

She nodded once, a quick acknowledgement, before racing off in a flurry of dust, her cargo pressed carefully between her shoulders.

.

The trip back of Konoha was nothing short of a nightmare. After the first hour, it became pretty apparent from her hazy vision and mild hallucinations that she had been poisoned. Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to afford a basic medic kit, and didn't really know the hornet's toxins well enough to know what plants might help counteract it. Instead she chewed on a daisy, one of the flowers most known for its healing properties, and hoped for the best.

Her visual limitations kept her to the ground, which was fine if just a touch slower, but after an hour of travel, a soldier pill for her and a blood replenishing pill for Kakashi, she ran into another problem. She was still bleeding. Whether it was an effect of the toxin or due to some combination with the soldier pill, the reopened injury on her back was refusing to clot and close properly. The best she could do was press Kakashi more firmly against her back so the wounds only seeped rather than roll down her back. There was only one blood pill left, and she had already firmly reserved it for Kakashi.

She simply focused on moving as quickly as she could.

Thirty minutes later, she thought she saw the high walls of the village, but when she rushed forward, it became apparent that she had been hallucinating again. She almost cried. She wanted to cry, wanted to scream and shout, but instead, she adjusted her load and kept moving. The second time it happened, she stomped the ground and nearly collapsed into the self-made crater.

After the fourth time, she stopped caring. What did it matter if she thought she saw the village walls? She saw a lot of things. She saw an adult Kakashi taunting her with a pair of bells. She saw Sasuke and Orchimaru hold an extensive discussion about gardening and the benefits of using gnomes. She just kept running and running past all these fake images and impossible creatures.

When she staggered through the walls of Konoha for the eighth time that she could count, she was already half-convinced she was still hallucinating. She didn't mean to ignore the chunin at the gate, and since all Sakura could see was a giant flower that was shouting at her, she didn't pay him any attention.

Somehow, her feet led her all the way to the hospital before she ran into someone that she _thought_ might be the hokage—if the hokage was made out of lettuce and cottage cheese that is. She blinked at him in incomprehension as other lettuce creatures buzzed around her, lifting the boy from her back.

She whimpered in protest, dazed and confused. She struggled to get back over to her charge, to get him back from the strange green creatures. A hand landed on her shoulder, halting her in place, and the cottage-cheese hokage said something to her.

She stared at him a moment, watching the pipe melt off his face. She opened her mouth, making this odd guttural noise as she wavered on her feet. The world spun sickeningly, colors blending and bleeding together until darkness crept across her vision, black dominating the array of colors as she collapsed.

…

**A/N**: I hate to cut off Minato's big fight scene, but I didn't want to cut off Sakura's section either. We'll be checking in on him next chapter though, I pinky swear. Unfortunately, it will probably be three weeks before I can post the next chapter since I won't have much free time next week and a half to work on it. Sadness, I know, but at least you find out preemptively.

Bonus point to anyone who can pick up the anime reference I made at some point in this chapter. Hint: Ranma ½ is the series.

Thanks everyone! Have a great weekend!


	12. The Legendary

Special shout out to Varee for beta-ing this chapter for me. There's no way this would have been done on time without the help. Thanks again!

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**Fate's Alloter: Part 2**

**Chapter 12: The Legendary**

.

_This new world was different; she could tell right from the start. Not different as in strange, although it was that too, but different in terms of feel. After all the worlds she had traveled to, she had begun developing a "sense" for their quirks and characters. _

_This world was different. It was old and vast, older perhaps than even herself. She stumbled and stared at the event horizon, not caring what the native citizens thought of her strange demeanor and dress—she was always strange to them at first. _

_The sky held a silvery tint behind the blue, and there was a sparkle to the clouds that she had never seen in any of the other worlds. She felt weak and lightheaded and her knees buckled upon sudden realization._

"_Miss, are you okay?"_

_A concerned boy was hovering near her elbow, staring anxiously at her face, and she nearly leapt back in surprise. He was _glowing_. _

_Breath quickening, she felt the rising panic clawing at her throat. _'No! Don't scream! He'll only find you faster!'_ She managed to stifle it but only barely. The boy was still looking at her in concern, but now his head was tilted in mild confusion as if he had just noticed that something was _off_ about her._

_She turned on her heel and ran. Not good, not good, not good at all! Mortals didn't belong here, had no right to be here, and Kami would crush them for trespassing on his domain. Of all the worlds he could drag her to, why did he pick the land of the GODS?!_

_Was it because she was still aging while he remained static? Was it because she continued to rebel against him, warning each new world of his coming? He couldn't be—she swallowed and couldn't help that habitual glance over her shoulder—he couldn't be trying to 'cure' her was he?_

.

A young man sat at the base of a tree, eye closed and his face deceptively peaceful. There was the slightest popping sound, like a shadow clone being dismissed as the young man opened his eyes.

The blue was gone. Green bled from his pupils, growing lighter and lighter as it spread across his iris, taking on a yellowish color. Then there was a _twitch_ of sorts as though his pupils had hiccupped, and the normal curvature flattened into a horizontal bar-like slit.

He sat still for a moment, gathering strength, his chakra swelling like the rise of a tsunami. A reddish-orange pigmentation around the eyes, then with a sigh of air, the wind shifted, and he was gone.

.

_For a long time, she didn't know why he picked her of all people. She was rebellious, counterproductive, and fought him at every turn. She ruined his plans, stepped on his projects, and made life as impossible for him as she could manage._

_Deep down, maybe she wanted to die. Her home world was gone, nothing but memories of smoke and ash, and she wished to join the others if for no other reason than to stop seeing these haunting copies of her old companions. _

_It was only after several cycles of new worlds that she finally began to grasp his reasoning. She wasn't an indiscriminate choice, a girl plucked from the crowd at random. __**She**__, or at least a previous version, had meant something to her captor. _

_Of course she wasn't the original; no man would put up with all the rejections, deliberate foiling of his plans, and outright disgust at his very being just for "a pretty face." No, it was only after realizing how __**rare**__ girls like her were and how few worlds contained even a shadow of her existence did she begin to understand why he didn't cast her into some abyss or abandon her for good. She wasn't just the girl with green eyes; she was a girl with the same green eyes._

_Most of the girls who shared her face and name died as children, either in some heroic event or as another victim of a mass slaughter. Somehow, she had slipped through the cracks, one of the few that ever did, and lucky her that she was the one he found first. _

_Even though she looked like that other girl, had her face and mannerisms, he would never forgive her for being second best. To him, she was just a copy, a __**shadow**__ of the woman he wanted. Ironically, part of that was his own fault. In his attempt to avoid the same pitfalls that had lead to the death of the "original," he had taken away powers that she hadn't yet understood, making her less _destructive_ (i.e. weaker, and less able to fight against him), but in doing so, he had somewhat altered her personality. _

_Sure, if you held up a mirror, the two girls were essentially the same, but for someone who knew her as well as he did, even subtle differences were momentous. They were both headstrong and to the point, but, while her counterpart had been more subtle and refined, she didn't bother trying to hide her impatience or lesser qualities. Why should she? Everyone she cared about was dead, and she wasn't exactly trying to win her captor's favor. _

_Even so, it was hard not to feel inferior. _

_It's not that she _wanted_ to be the girl he fell in love with, but she did wish she could have that girl's drive. She would never live up to the tenacity and fire of the one from his world. Some nights, she longed for a glimpse of that girl, to see her final moments when she died with a smirk and a bloody laugh as her home world crumbled into ash. _

_No, she was a coward in comparison, a pathetic imitation. She still fought him, struggled against him as best she could, but she lacked the key trait that the original girl possessed: the willingness to do all that was necessary, who would sacrifice anything, even her home world, to stop him. It was she who, amidst the ash and smoke as her world dissolved into the cosmos, had leaned close and whispered that promise: _

"_You will never get what you want."_

_Once, a long time ago, she had unknowingly echoed her twin's words, and he had nearly killed her for it. She wasn't strong enough to stop him; he had extracted that ability from her long before she understood how to use it. But just because _she_ couldn't destroy him herself didn't mean she had given up trying. Every world taught her something, perhaps more than her captor realized, and now she was biding her time, just as he was, waiting for the right __**circumstance**__ to come along._

_He had the advantage in that he had discovered what ingredients were necessary to create such a unique world, yet thus far he had lacked the ability. Perhaps, in a desperate move, that is why he had dragged her to this plane, hoping to find answers that the usually methods could not provide. _

_But she had hardly been idle. It wasn't hard to dig through the debris and piece together his past. Tsh, she merely had to look at herself to see the answer. There had once been a girl who had defeated him so utterly and completely that it had left him spinning through the cosmos. The only mistake that girl had made was being the one to die first. When her grip slackened, he had been able to slip through death's fingers and escape to another world. _

_He hadn't won, but he certainly hadn't lost._

_After the disastrous experiment that led to her own creation (and she highly doubted that she was the first), he had ceased his efforts to recreate the original. But the web never stopped spinning; it was just a matter of a change in objective._

_He was now on the hunt for the girl who was the mirror of the original. As many of the worlds had demonstrated, there was always a "mirror" existence; a plane in which different choices were made and fate wandered down a different path. She knew that, eventually, her companion would find such a world with his "mirror girl," or he would create it if he became able. _

_The only problem was, she was going to find __**herself**__ first. This time,__** she**__ was going to stop __**him**__._

.

In the valley, it was absolute chaos, and it was all Kuno could do to keep his head on his shoulders and his throat from being sliced open. This was insane, absolute madness.

It all started when their squad leader suddenly turned and stabbed Haru through the chest. Someone shouted at the platoon next to them, and Kuno turned, kunai in hand—and came face to face with himself.

His clone pointed at him and shouted, "He's using a henge jutsu!"

Then his old sparring partner attempted to disembowel him, and Kuno, not wanting to hurt a comrade, was forced to dodge. A sweeping kick sent the clone off his feet.

"Help!" the clone called out at the rest of the squad, "Imposter!"

Kuno's follow-up strike to the copy-cat's solar plexus was blocked by Hiko, his old school buddy. Hiko's eyes were hard, his eyebrows pinched together. He punched Kuno solidly in the ribs, but before the usual smirk of victory could cross his face, the clone Kuno had rolled up behind him and shoved a kunai through the base of his skull.

It was like this everywhere, copies popping up in every squad and throwing it into discord. Oh it might not have been so terrible if it was one or two, but it looked like half the army had a twin running around accusing various people of being "imposters."

His twin had pulled out another kunai, his expression looking black as though _he_ had been the one to kill Hiko. "You bastard!" it shouted murderously, "I'll _end_ you for this."

Kuno took one look at the reactions of the various onlookers before deciding that now was a very good time to disappear.

Underground it was quiet, giving him a moment to think for a change. The earth rumbled overhead, so he kept digging deeper, farther and farther until the sounds became faint. He reached the solid layer of bedrock, and there he stopped.

Kuno waited, listening. There were certain telltale signs of someone "playing in the dirt" that only a person who spent a lifetime surrounded by earth-type users would recognize. While Kirigakure shinobi were renowned for their ability to pick up even the slightest vibrations in water, the ninja of Iwagakure were famous for their tendency sense shifts in the earth.

And right then, Kuno became aware of a shift so monumental that for a moment it felt as though the world had tilted on its axis. It wasn't a henge-disguised army of Leaf shinobi. It wasn't even a genjutsu. It was _earth clones_. He could feel them pouring from the ground, surrounding his comrades. He felt the earth absorbing those who had fallen while the clones cleverly stepped into their place.

But even being beaten at their own element wasn't the reason Kuno found himself struggling to breathe. It was the fact that they all—every single one of them—had the same chakra signature. How could one person…

_A blonde haired leaf shinobi stood above them, casting his gaze through the ranks with a look of sympathy._

_"That's Minato Namikaze," the captain murmured quietly, a mixture of fear and awe. "This man is very likely to be the end of us."_

For a moment, Kuno wondered what such a man might seem like to his own people. A hero? Or had he risen to a point where he was too dangerous, too much of a liability? Did they fear him the way Iwa did? Was he also a monster in their eyes?

Minato Namikaze had killed the captain of his squad, his old sparring partner, and (if Kuno was being honest with himself) his best friend. He _hated_ that man like no one else he had ever encountered.

This war was supposed to be over and done with by now. Iwa had every advantage: a powerful army, a compliant ally, and an enemy still crippled by the second shinobi war. This was supposed to bring prosperity to a village who was slowly choking off its own resources by the rate of its growth. They _needed_ Kusagakure's fertile fields and rich valleys to feed their aching bellies, and there was no one on earth who should have been able to stand in their way.

And then _he_ appeared.

Minato Namikaze was a monster. He pulled victory from their fingertips, he made widows and orphans with every appearance, and he made the whole of Iwagakure hate him with every fiber of their beings.

Kuno could easily track the pathway of the chakra flowing through the earth. It was a tricky skill that only a few possessed, but Tatewake Kuno had been promoted for a reason. Sensor types were uncommon in Earth country and were often considered weak, but Tatewake Kuno hadn't been made jounin on merit of his good looks. Despite his handicapped taijutsu, he was developing quite the reputation as a tracker, but, as Kuno would soon see, that was not the only reputation he would be getting.

.

Quite frankly, Kuno didn't know how anyone had missed it. The guy was basically camped out right under the general's command center; surely someone else should have picked up on it by now.

'_Or'_ his more strategic mind supplied, _'It could be intentional.' _Not everyone was as good at sensing chakra pathways as he was, and - even if they could only trace generalities - who do you think they are going to blame for the insanity going on upstairs?'

Kuno had to admit, grudgingly, that the henged clone technique was pretty ingenious, perhaps the only way that one person could reasonably take on this sheer amount of numbers. But why show himself beforehand? Why have one of his clones announce the strategy he was implementing?

'_So that they become suspicious of one another, and when they trace it back to the command post, who do you think is going to have a large index for suspicion about being an imposter?_

'_And even so, perhaps he is not trying to __**win**__, but to __**delay**__. All this confusion will take time to sort out, and trust will have to be rebuilt. Everyone will watch their neighbors suspiciously, wondering if they have been replaced. Genius indeed.'_

But, Kuno reminded himself, _I_ figured it out, and _I_ know where the real man is.

Legends do not get defeated in some awesome battle of prowess; no, many a legend has died quietly, by some small, nameless nobody. It isn't often that a pawn takes out a queen, but that doesn't mean a pawn _can't_. In fact, sometimes that was the only thing that ever had.

That didn't mean Kuno wasn't desperately afraid. How many more stories were there of Goliath defeating David that were never mentioned or recorded? Victory was not in favor of the little people, not in a fair fight at least, but this was the world of shinobi where straight up _fair_ fights were far and few in between. Legends died because they stopped looking over their shoulder.

Kuno kept pushing his way through the bedrock, as slowly and as quietly as he could manage. He tried to minimize his use of chakra, not necessarily to save it, but so that there was less for his enemy to pick up on. His hair stood on end as he neared his conclusion, his cavern in bedrock underneath the man who was underneath the chaos and destruction above.

Kuno took a deep breath, steadying his hands.

Now he faced it, and the nightmare at last reaching its conclusion.

Coldly analyzing it, he extracted the feeling, holding it apart from himself. And there it was. Fear. Facing it, admitting it, he could start from that point and think straight. But he had to start there because, according to the code of the shinobi, a ninja wasn't afraid of man, beast or devil. Especially not a shinobi from Iwagakure. Shinobi do not hesitate, not even if it means death.

But one did not rise to being a shinobi of his rank without knowing fear. You don't admit it, even to yourself. You get up off the ground and steady your hands, and you face your enemy and the fear with it.

Then, you steal victory away from your enemy, sealing away their courage, showing them what _fear_ really is.

Putting his hands on the layer of rock above his head, Kuno pulled down, bringing the mountain down with him.

.

There is no feeling to describe being in sage mode. The absolute stillness of your physical form and yet the ever expanding awareness of all that flows around you at speeds faster than the mind can take in. Air fills the lungs and energy ebbs and flows like the tide.

It is not peaceful; no, the creeping feeling of foreign energy is quite invasive and somewhat nauseating. In many ways it feels as though all of existence is spinning around you, and you are put a single point, a tiny dot in the margin of the cosmos. Energy soaks into your veins, burning like acid, and then is just as quickly dispelled outward, directed to your will.

He poured all his energy into the earth around him, saturating it with chakra, and it became his, at will, to do what he pleased. There was enough of it now that he could have swallowed half of the Iwa army, drowned them in a pit of mud and earth.

But he was not yet that kind of man.

In his mind's eye, he kept a garden, a beautiful place. It was safe there, no pain or suffering, a tall waterfall rolling gracefully into a deep clear-bottom pool. It was surrounded by planes and planes of waving grass, and as the battle raged on above him, he brought people into that world.

Faces of men he had killed appeared in his grassland. They didn't wear armor or carry blades, and he tried to imagine them with softer faces and dispositions, tried to give them the peace and happiness that had been denied to them in the midst of the war.

He would never forget those faces. Not one.

The loss of life is a permanent thing. By taking it, he was taking all of their future. He was taking away any good or redemption the person might seek, he was taking away the hope of the loved ones left behind, and he was taking away any children or grandchildren that person would ever live to see. He was taking their _everything_ away, and he did not take it lightly.

Yet, he could not let this continue. He would _not_ let them take his Konoha. Not ever. The people there were too precious to him and could not be replaced. It was his home, and he'd be damned before the let the devil stroll right in.

His focused wavered from his clones as a flicker of chakra caught his attention. A presence underneath him. Clever.

In sage mode, everything seems to happen slowly. The slab of bedrock underneath him splintered like cracked ice, and air whooshed by his ears as he fell downward. The movement cost him and the orange rings around his eyes vanished as his markings as a sage slipped away. Falling, he twisted to land on his feet and noted the walls covered in exploding tags and the single boy at its center who smiled as he ignited them.

.

_She already liked the smell of this new world. It was young and prosperous, and while the cries of war rang through the air, she greeted them like a siren's call. This was a fighting world, much like her own had been, and although worlds of shinobi and samurai were often the most difficult to tackle, they were also the most rewarding._

_They had the most potential. If she could find the right people before he did, and if she managed to convince them, then she could keep him from claiming this world. After all, warriors could fight off warlords better than sheep can. _

_Light as a feather, she dashed through this new world, eyes peeled for a bright shock of blonde hair, but then her movements ceased as a glint of metal caught her eye. A Konoha headband. The familiar headbands of the elemental nations made her heart leap for joy. At last, one of the originals! Oh, how she had longed for such a world._

_Abruptly her direction changed, and she shot off like a rocket from a cannon for Fire Country, a plan already forming in her mind. Oh sure, he would probably find the boy first, but that didn't matter right now. It was the _girl_ that was more important. _

_This world was older than what he was looking for, but it had the right elements, and after their terrifying trip to Kami's realm, he had discovered how to create a split world. _

_But this was her chance. He didn't realize it, but there was a lot more factors involved than just convincing one jinchuuriki. No, no, she had to make the bond with the girl quickly before he realized what she was up to._

_After a near lifetime of sneaking in and out of hidden villages and secrete tombs, it was a breeze getting past the relatively lax security of Konoha's guard. Skidding to a stop in front of a relatively upscale house, she knocked on the door politely. _

_A middle-aged woman with silver-speckled hair opened the door cautiously. "Can I help you?"_

_She bowed respectfully, "Haruno-sama, if you don't mind, I'd like to talk to you and your husband about your daughter. It is quite important."_

_The woman immediately stiffened looking quite alarmed. "Is Sakura alright?"_

"_Yes, yes, she is fine," the stranger assured her, "but please, let us discuss this inside. It is rather troubling news I am afraid."_

_Stunned, the older woman held the door open, and the strangely clad woman (for her garments were rather odd now that Mrs. Haruno took the time to look) let herself in. Her eyes were also perplexing, bright green like her husband's and daughter's. Was she a distant clan member perhaps?_

_The door closed behind her with a careful clack, and the woman looked up at her meaningfully._

"_Please get your husband. There isn't much time."_

.

The world exploded with a roar of fire, and Tatewake Kuno felt a slight pressure on his arm, a tug of sorts, before he was enveloped in darkness. Death didn't hurt; in fact, he didn't even mind it much. That was, of course until he found the sun beaming on him in blinding fury while a kunai was pressed to his throat.

Kuno was spun around. Dizzy and disoriented, it took him a minute to realize he was standing in front of his grandfather. The general of the 3rd Division Army.

"I advise to retreat," the man holding him captive pleasantly spoke.

Kuno was surprised that no one else had jumped in to release him when he noticed about a quarter of the army was in a similar hold, the earth clones having apparently dropped their false faces. The 3rd division still greatly outnumbered the one-man army, but all parties seemed to still as they awaited the general's response.

"I have a quarter of your remaining troops hostage, not to mention," his captor jerked his shoulder slightly for emphasis, "your rather clever grandson."

Kuno squirmed slightly, not feeling the least bit clever as he glanced up at his grandfather's enraged expression. The general's f ace was red with fury, his hands balled into fists.

"Very well," he grunted, "Fall back."

The nearby officers looked at each other as though they weren't sure they heard him right.

"I said," the old war hawk snarled, "Fall back!"

Jolted, those that weren't currently being held captive stumbled back. A few more uncertain glances before the platoons began dispersing. First slowly, in small uneasy numbers, then larger groups with wounded comrades thrown over their backs.

The general himself didn't move, glaring at the man that stood over Kuno's shoulder. "Namikaze," he spat in disgust, "the Tsuchikage will have no mercy for the likes of _you_. He will bring you to your knees, make you beg for death just to end it, but death will not come. You will watch as all your loved ones suffer and die in excruciating pain, cursing the day they met you, while you live on."

The man behind him shifted in consideration of such a bold statement. "Men like me," he stated wistfully and with a touch of remorse, "are not fated for quiet, peaceful lives. No matter how much we long for them."

"Men like you," his grandfather growled, stepping forward. His rancid breath caused Kuno to wrinkle his nose. "should have never been born."

Kuno gasped as a sharp pain tore though his abdomen. He slumped forward as his grandfather's blade withdrew with a wet sloop, and Kuno cradled the wound trying to keep his intestines where they belonged. He looked up at the towering figure of his grand—no, the general of the third division.

The general wasn't even looking at him but at the few drops of blood that had fallen where Kuno's captor had stood. The large man smiled, not glancing twice at his wounded kin before leaping away.

.

"_I'm still not sure I understand all of this," the head of the Haruno household told the woman sitting across from him._

_During the explanation of her long, and quite frankly, unbelievable story, the tea had gone quite cold as the two Haruno parents stared at their guest looking quite gobsmacked._

"_I understand," she said smoothly, "it is a lot to take in, but he's going to come looking for her soon. Of the three Fates, she's the easiest to push out of this world, and given your family's tradition with the temple, all he needs to do is make sure she goes._

"_Now, when the time comes, just make sure she is wearing this."_

"_A kimono?" his wife questioned._

"_Not just a kimono," the woman corrected, "it has a sealing array woven into it. It nearly took me twenty years to get it right, but if your Sakura wears this, no matter what world he sends her to, I'll be able to go there with her. This way, when it's all over, I can send her back."_

_The mother scooped up the kimono as though it were a lifeline. "But this is only a back up plan right? Only if you can't keep her out of the village?"_

_The stranger was silent for some time her expression hinting at disbelief at being even asked such a thing, but then her eyes softened in understanding. People will do anything for the ones they care about, parents especially. "I will try," she promised, "everyone deserves a chance at happiness."_

_The father, who looked as though he had aged a great deal in the past half hour, stood stiffly and walked her to the door. Once they were out of earshot of his wife he quickly asked, "Is there another way?"_

_The strange woman looked at him in pity. "If there is, I haven't found it yet."_

_He nodded once jerkily before opening the door for her._

"_You never gave your name," he commented dryly._

_Green eyes, a shade darker than his daughter's, flashed up at him in warning. "That is because I did not give it," she replied stiffly._

_Then that strange old woman dressed in even stranger grab rounded the corner and was gone. _

.

Hands pressed to his side as blood dribbled down his chin. It was times like this where Minato wished he had gone into the medical field like his mother. He certainly had had the chakra control for it, but he had felt the call of a different path, as though he was meant to be something more.

At that moment, being a field shinobi didn't quite feel like the calling he imagined, but he wasn't the type to complain. Gritting his teeth, he tightened the makeshift bandage over his abdomen and struggled forward.

It wasn't a poisoned blade, or at least not with anything lethal. The Tsuchikage wanted him writhing in agony, not dead. The man seemed to take Minato's existence rather personally.

No, it wasn't because of something Minato had done himself (although his battle prowess certainly wasn't helping); the original issue lied with his father's father, one of the original founders of Iwagakure and, in a twist of irony, the first one to leave it. His grandfather had not agreed with the principles of the Earth nation and their seemingly lack of compassion and morality.

His grandfather had once written, "_their hearts have become as hard as the rocks they surround themselves with. I hate to leave the mountains and rivers that have become my home, but I cannot live amongst such people who do not honor the courage of kindness._"

Naturally, the first Tsuchikage did not take such a dismissal well. The members of Namikaze clan were branded as traitors and were hunted down like wild dogs, and just when they thought they had finally rid themselves of the bloodline, word trickles through the grapevine that a young kunoichi, a _Leaf_ shinobi, bore a son with sunflower hair, a boy, an heir that she named Minato _Namikaze_. After his grandfather.

To Iwagakure, it was a slap in the face, an insult of the lowest kind. To lie with such a weak-willed people was a low in and of itself, but to _breed_ with them, the ninja of the leaf, Konoha, _their enemy_.

Let's just say that the original reason he developed those trademark three-pronged kunai had not been strictly to give him the upper hand in a battle. Quite the opposite, he had been looking for a way to get out from one.

But sometimes… sometimes he thought maybe it would be better if he just let them catch him. He didn't have any family to speak of, and Jiraiya could take care of himself. Who knows, maybe turning himself over would satisfy the Tsuchikage, and he might finally withdraw his troops. Perhaps now was the best time even, before he drew anyone else in and unnecessarily painted a target on his or her back.

But, and maybe it was selfish of him, he didn't want to die. Not yet at least. Life had not answered all his questions yet.

He couldn't help his mind wandering to a tiny apartment a block over from Elm Street. He was used to stopping by. Even with his hair covered and a mask shadowing his face, he was not a stranger there, and he was used to the faces he found.

The two little girls would be playing in near the couch having constructed a fortification of pillows and sheets while the twins would be alternating on approaching the tent, seeing how close they could get before the girls noticed. Moro would be sprawled on the floor, a collection of adventure books scattered around him, and Sota would be attempting to goad Itachi into teaching him "more of those super cool ninja tricks."

And there, at the center of it all, was _her_ smiling and laughing as she walked through the chaos. He always felt stunned when he saw her, as if it was always the first time. He had so many questions for her, so many things he wanted to know. How did she do it? How did she just adopt six (seven) kids without batting an eye? She had lost everything, and yet here she was not defeated but _glowing_. She could have wallowed in pity, drowned herself in alcohol, lost herself in the dangerous speed high-ranked missions, but she didn't. She gave six kids a home, and she didn't think twice about it.

How had the world not burned her out? How did someone like that even exist? He _saw_ her that night in the gardens of the Wunting Temple, and he knew how she practically collapsed into herself when she discovered she was the only one left. And yet… he saw her reach across the hurt and pain and confusion, tighten her belt, and strive forward.

It was an amazing and beautiful thing to watch, and he still felt awed every time he saw her in action. He couldn't live in a world of violence and bloodshed and do what he was called to do without wondering how there was any humanity left at all. But there she was. There was his reason.

He wanted to be like that, he realized. Wanted to be able to simply do good without a thought to the consequences. To step forward into action because it was _right_, because he couldn't wait around for someone else to do it.

He sighed as he felt a platoon of shinobi arcing over the hill after him. He had just killed nearly two hundred shinobi today, and quite frankly, he didn't feel much like fighting right now. His coils were nearly drained of chakra, but he still had just enough for one final jump.

Dropping an exploding tag as a farewell note, he pushed his remaining chakra through a familiar pathway. It was like trying to fit through a keyhole, the entrance shaped so no one else could fit, but he slid through the gate with practiced ease. The clearing around him faded, and he found himself crouching next to Obito.

The boy nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Minato standing there and nearly lost his grip on the extra pack he was carrying.

"Sensei!" Rin called rushing over, an extra pack also slung over her shoulders, "we were worried about you!"

Rin stopped cold, her eyes widening in surprise. "You're…" she turned to Obito as if to confirm that her eyes weren't deceiving her, but his eyes were equally round.

"Sensei," Obito stuttered in shock, "are you… _you_… are you _bleeding_?!"

Minato noted the two foreign genin with a rope connecting them to each of the leaf chunin and felt unsettled. Minor injuries could wait.

"Where are Kakashi and Sakura?"

The sick hearted look Rin sent him and the telltale glare Obito shot at the Iwa genin did nothing to ease the twisting feeling in his gut.

.

_It was always such a relief when she found him. It was like the first time—meeting the true Spinner that is—and it felt as though her soul ached in memory. In her world, she never knew him; the versions of herself that survived to adulthood never did. But she loved him in a way that was impossible to describe, and she could never explain it to someone who wasn't a Fate; it was just something intrinsic, like the meeting of two halves of the same soul. _

"_Naruto," she whispered like a reverent disciple before their deity._

_What she felt for him wasn't a human emotion; it was changeless and omnipotent as gravity. It was the way the moon loved the sun and yearned for its light to touch every crevice and chase away every shadow. They were two hands, he the right and she the left, working in sync. They reflected off each other like mirrors, yin and yang, opposite sides of the same coin yet equals in every right. _

"_I'm sorry but do I know you?"_

_He squinted at her, and the lack of recognition, while expected, still hurt nonetheless. He didn't remember the worlds they had spent together, but then how could he? This was a new Naruto in a new world, and she was old, older than even he could imagine._

_She smiled at him sadly, "No, I suppose not."_

_By some miracle of miracles, she had found him first, but even though the blank stare still stung, her heart warmed at the sight of him. That confused wrinkle in his eyebrow was so familiar, the crease in his forehead had been the very same as the last one, but, she was sure, the fate of this world would be different._

_She couldn't approach this Naruto as he had the last. They couldn't be allies or friends. He couldn't watch her back, and she couldn't protect him from the heartache she was about to inflict. _

"_Sakura is going to die," she said. Her words were quiet, barely more than a whisper, but such a statement had a way of carrying over the sounds of the rest of the world, a way of drowning out everything else. _

_Something in his face shattered, and his eyes flickered between shock and anger and fear. "What do you mean she's going to die?!" he shouted, his default reaction, but she didn't blame him for acting as he did. More emotions danced across his eyes: heartbreaking worry and a pain so intense it seemed as though his entire world had shattered._

_It some ways, it had. _

_There were few things that could get the Spinner moving faster than a threat to his Allotter, and she didn't need to look beyond his eyes to know his hands were balled into fists and his seal around his navel was pulsing with frightening energy. _

_Truth be told, she hated doing this, to him of all people. There were very few souls who were genuinely good, and she despaired at the agony this one would have to endure because of what she was about to tell him. This could very well destroy him._

_But… for the sake of this world and every other plane in existence, she had to do it. Heavy heart or not. She schooled her features and met his gaze evenly, letting the softness of her face express her pity (and unvoicable apology) while her eyes spoke of her sincerity._

"_I'm afraid so, and __**you**__ will be the one to kill her."_

.

**A/N:** And so I know there none of our favorite heroine in this chapter, which is rather disappointing considering how much I harped that this fic was about Sakura and not the supporting cast and crew, but I hope the excitement of Minato's fight and the mysterious "she" was enough to tie you over until Sakura regains consciousness.

I also liked writing the tie-in with the history of the Namikaze clan and Minato's earth chakra affinity. If it wasn't made clear in earlier chapters, Minato's main chakra affinity is actually earth (wind being his second), but as Sakura mentioned in previous sections, learning an element not normally taught by your village (in her case water) can be quite challenging. My thoughts on this were that Fire and Wind are the most common affinities in Konoha (which means finding a sensei in one of these areas would be the easiest) which is why Minato leaned more towards the wind side while Sakura (having the exact opposite chakra nature) was essentially stuck up a creek without a paddle.

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Wow, that's probably the longest author's note I've written in a while (smiles sheepishly). Anyways, I estimate my next update will be in three to four weeks (because my computer is grumpier than a grandpa who couldn't take his afternoon siesta). So until next time, stay awesome everyone!


	13. Awake

**Fate's Allotter: Part 2**

**Chapter 13: Awake**

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_She used to laugh at people who said they were in love. Such a childish imagination. They didn't know what love meant; it was easy to live with someone for the better years of your life, struggling through hardships with someone at your side. It's so _easy_ in comparison._

_Other people went through the exact same trials, hardships, and struggles as the rest, but they carried a burden far heavier because they carried it alone. Sometimes you could console yourself with the fact that no one else had to suffer through this, just you, and you could take it, you knew you could. But what made those weights truly heavy was not the necessary exertion, but the knowledge that you bore it alone. And you didn't have to._

_It was you. You had deliberately driven that one person away. You had shunned them, yelled, and forced anger into your tone. You, you and you alone, were the reason they left, and it wasn't because you hated them, you couldn't even if you tried. You cut ties with them like separating a boat from its anchor. You made them leave._

_Because you loved them. Because you knew they didn't have to go through the trials waiting in store for you, and if you cut them off, if you severed those ties, they would be free. Somehow, you convinced yourself, that would make everything you had to go through worth it. You could bear the pain for their sake, knowing that they would not be suffering because of you._

_Even if, deep down, you knew that is exactly what they would have chosen anyways. They would have willingly walked with you—in chains and shackles, smiling even, as they bled and suffered, needlessly, all because they lov—but they wouldn't would they? People like her and people like him didn't have the courage to let them._

.

Humming. That was the sound she heard when she first surfaced from that bubble of unconsciousness. The tune was soft and familiar, like a lullaby.

When she was a child back her mother had still loved her, Mrs. Haruno would hum to her daughter every night while she brushed out Sakura's hair. Sometimes it would be songs that Sakura recognized from Konoha, but more often than not, it would be lullabies and melodies from the land of water, where her mother had grown up.

Her mother would tell her stories of an exotic land that seemed enchanted and magical to the young pinkette. Her mother's voice filled up the small room as warm and smooth as silk as she would tell her young daughter of far away places where pirates and mermaids were real and how she, a forgettable daughter of a duke found herself in a place so far and so strange from the place she had come from.

Sometimes her father could be found standing in the doorway, his expression calm and serene, listening as his wife recounted the stories of distant lands and people.

Her mother still spoke in quiet awe of the first time she had seen Konoha. At first she had resented having to trade her beaches and rivers for mountains and trees, but when she stepped out of the caravan for the first time and saw Konoha, a small sparkling jewel surrounded by miles and miles of lush green. Then to greet her was her husband to be—and here her mother would always smile fondly as she relived those moments—who was easily the most handsome man she had ever seen…

For a moment, Sakura could imagine that she was home again, curled up in blankets listening to her mother's soothing voice. Home and safe, that this entire thing had just been one terrible nightmare.

Just like whenever her mother finished her tales, her father stood at her bedside. Even with her eyes closed, Sakura could still feel him there, his presence warm and _safe_. Gentle hands brushed across her temple and a pair of lips pressed against her forehead in an achingly familiar gesture. _'Dad…'_

"Thank you."

She stiffened. That _wasn't_ her father's voice.

Her eyes shot open in alarm. There was no photograph of team seven, no bookshelf full of scrolls, no ink splattered desk, no rack on ninja gear, nothing where it should be. This wasn't her bed; this wasn't her room. The smell was all wrong, too sterile and septic, and the walls were too white and empty. This wasn't her house.

She recoiled into the sheets then as she remembered; this wasn't her Konoha. She wanted to scream, cry, or thrash about in frustration and utter agony. Why? Why Kami-sama couldn't she go home? Why torture her like this? After all that she had done, didn't she deserve just one respite?

But instead of screaming or crying or throwing a number of sharp pointy objects, Sakura only groaned and fought against the sedative effects of the drugs. By the time she gathered enough of her wits to search out the voice that _wasn't_ her father's, the warm presence had vanished, and the room was quite empty.

Alone and feeling quite forlorn, she picked at her blankets miserably. Was she that lonely that she had to imagine company?

Her room was dark, and although the shades were drawn, she could see a few faint stars through the slits.

"_When I was homesick," Naruto said as he stared up at the sky, "I would look at the stars and tell myself that those were the same stars over Konoha. I wouldn't feel so lonely then."_

Sakura curled up, not crying, but seeking the comfort of being able to hold something warm and solid. She felt as though she was standing at the bottom of a deep pit, and looking up, she realized just how deep that hole actually was. She was never going to be able to climb back out. No matter what she did or who she saved or how many impossible things she overcame, she was always going to end up alone. No Sasuke. No Naruto. No Mom and Dad. No anyone.

"I just want to go home," she murmured into the stiff blankets feeling lower than she ever had in her entire life. "I'd do anything."

.

_She dreamed that she was running down the streets at the marketplace, childish laughter bubbling from her throat. A young boy was chasing after her, fingers outstretched to catch her, and she squealed, dancing out of reach. The boy let out a whine in frustration before redoubling his efforts. _

_In a normal circumstance, her cousin would have easily grabbed her by now, but Konoha was Sakura's element. She was the master of dodging around skirts and weaving through vendors, and she was just short enough to slide under many of the carts and wagons without having to break her stride. _

_With a few clever twists and turns, she had vanished from sight again. Giggling into her palm after her cousin ran past her hiding place, she couldn't hide the triumphant smile as she successfully evaded him again. _

_The laugh, however, died in her throat when she realized she wasn't the only one hiding under the fruit stand. Blond hair dirty clothes, and this, Sakura realized with a surprised start, were traits from someone she didn't recognize. _

_She squinted at the boy trying to place him and found herself saying, "I've never seen you at the playground before."_

_It sounded like an accusation, and well, maybe it was. Sakura had studied all the kids at the playground, observed who would make a good friend and who was better to avoid, and this new face frustrated her. Her father had lectured her on the importance of having all crucial pieces of information before making a move, and here sat one solid person that she knew nothing about._

_The boy didn't cringe away from her like she expected nor did he babble like an idiot once he saw the clan marking on her dress. Rather he looked at her, blue eyes hard and unblinking and said, "I watch."_

_Sakura blinked at him waiting for him to elaborate, but that was all that came out of his mouth before he looked at his hands as if in embarrassment. _

_Finally, she asked, "Watch what?"_

"_Everything," he muttered into his hands, "people mostly."_

_The young girl was surprised at his answer. Surprised, because well watching, listening, observing, that was _her_ thing. Her father had once told her, quite solemnly in fact, that "Vigilance is the key, Sakura. When everyone else closes their eyes, you must keep yours the most open."_

_So Sakura had watched. She watched her mother, she watched the servants, she watched the people in the marketplace, and she watched the children her own age. She saw adults turn away from different things—a dog starving next to a dumpster and a bird that had the misfortune of finding the wrong end of a kunai. She saw what they closed their eyes to and what they tried to sweep under the rug. _

_She even once interrogated a homeless man why people didn't want to look at him. _

_He had shrugged. "People don't want to see the ugly things." _

_He would have said more, but Sakura's mother found him them and shooed him off. While her mother was in the middle of berating her for speaking to a man that was probably infected with lice, her father had regarded her with a thoughtful frown, offering neither praise nor disproval. Just watching. _

_Sakura could appreciate the benefits of being observant, of quietly collecting information and using it to her advantage. To find someone else doing the same was somewhat surprising, but somehow it didn't throw her off as much as she might have expected._

_She considered the blond boy carefully, evaluating his calloused hands with the same critical eye that her mother used to inspect fine silk. She looked him up from top to bottom, taking in his worn clothing and muddy shoes. Right away, she knew that this was a person her mother would not approve of her being friends with, and Sakura was sorely tempted to back out from her hiding spot before she gave the boy a false impression. _

_But here was a potential ally, a person who could see things from angles she couldn't manage. He could tell her more about the world outside her parent's guarded house, could reach beyond her gilded cage. But how would she explain as much to him? _

"_I'm Sakura," she told him matter-of-factly. She didn't offer to be friends or business partners; instead she scooted to the edge of the hiding place, eyes scanning the crowd for her cousin. _

_She wasn't looking at him when she said it, but the moment the words left her mouth, she knew that they were true. "I'm going to be a ninja someday." _

_It was the second time the noble's daughter had made such a statement, yet it still occurred at a time before even she had, within her own mind, accepted the inevitable twist in her future. But the confidence of her words, left the boy without a hint of doubt, and he stared at her in a kind of transfixed awe. It wasn't what she said, per se, but the absolute sureness in her tone and the conviction of her posture left him floored. _

_He wanted to be like that. Confident, unafraid, assured of the future. He had watched her, always from afar, watched as she worked up the courage to join the other children at the playground, watched as that dream was trampled in a sandbox, and watched as she rose up and glared them down, saying, "I'm going to be a ninja" as if it were a sword and a shield._

_It was probably the first time _he_ wanted to be a ninja too. _

_And now she said it again, as if those were the most meaningful words in the entire world, and some part of him believed that they were. He watched her slide into a crouch before slipping back into the hurried foot traffic. He watched her weave through the crowds with an ease that amazed him, vanishing before he had time to blink._

'Yes_,' the skinny boy thought as the cute pinkette evaporated into the crowd, '_I'll be a ninja too.'

.

There was something innately rejuvenating about mornings, and Sakura felt herself rousing from the hazy mist of dreams to a world that looked far cheerier than it had the night prior. The slits in the curtains revealed a sky that was bright and blue and fresh with promise.

While she wasn't a morning person by nature, there was something innately rejuvenating about mornings. She felt reborn, like a newly made person. Her back was healed, the poison gone, and so what if her eyes were a bit red-rimmed, no one would notice.

Kicking off the covers, she swung her legs over the edge of her bed when the door swung open, and Obito practically tumbled into the room.

"Obito," Rin scolded as she came up behind him, "you can't go charging into random room like that—Oh Sakura! You're awake!"

Sakura blinked at the pair, "How long was I out for?"

"Two days," Rin admitted.

She sighed quietly to herself taking in the new information with a frustrated kind of acceptance. She had been at the point of severe hallucinations and most likely had a seizure. At that toxicity levels, two days was very, _very_ lucky indeed.

But her attention shifted outward as she critically examined each of her temporary charges. They didn't look any worse for wear, but their was something _off_ about them. Rin's smile was too wide as if it were forced, and Obito was shifting around like an anxious puppy.

Sakura knew that look, having seen it far too many times on her anxious teammate. Naruto, like Obito, was not the type of person to sit still, and while it was not admittedly a bad trait for a ninja, the pattern of his movements was very telling.

After half a lifetime spent studying one hyperactive ninja, it wasn't hard to discern the emotions of a similarly energetic youth, and right now, Sakura could read one emotion clear as day: Fear. No, not the fear for himself, but the kind of nagging fear, the helpless fear, where you watched someone precious…

She interrupted her own thought, not daring to complete it herself.

"Kakashi," she said, but then her words died on her lips. She didn't know how to say it, how to ask someone so young, but the two chunin seemed to understand. They shared a look, silently deciding who would answer her.

Finally, Rin muttered, "He's in dialysis."

.

Brushing her pink hair back anxiously, Sakura chewed on her lower lip as she flipped through Kakashi's chart. His spleen, as expected, was unsalvageable, but it had done its best to take Kakashi down too. The rate of his blood loss was more severe that she had initially realized, and the blood pills she had forced down his throat had barely sustained him on the road to Konoha.

During the trip he had been steadily bleeding out over her back so that by the time she got to Konoha, she was the one soaked in blood. Her cheap cotton clothes were soaked through and rivulets of blood rolled down the back of her thighs and down to her ankles. Then when she collapsed—at the foot of the Hokage no less—without so much as a word of explanation, the resulting chaos delayed Kakashi's care.

Their concern was understandable of course; the village was at war, and when a ninja dragged herself through the village looking as though she had been through the darker side of hell, it was natural for the Hokage's first instinct to be a defensive one.

As the rest of the village scrambled in preparation for a possible attack, precious seconds ticked away for Kakashi, and even after the medics arrived, their main focus had been on her (thinking she was the source of all the blood). It wasn't a long delay, but it was still a costly one.

By the time Kakashi was being given fluids and an emergency blood transfusion, some of his organ were already going into failure. Too little oxygen for too long. Medics could do many things, but they couldn't work miracles. His kidneys gave up on him, and there was little more that could be done for them.

What he needed was a transplant, but what he lacked was a donor. He had no living family members to draw from, and his uncommon blood type meant that he might be waiting for a new organ for a long time.

Blinded in one eye and more or less requiring being hooked up to a dialysis machine for the rest of his life, Kakashi's career as a shinobi was essentially over.

It was strange, Sakura thought as she mulled it over. She didn't recall this episode in Kakashi's medical records (although the details were always a bit unspecific in most shinobi's charts for their own protection in the event of infiltration), and Kakashi had never been terribly open about his past.

A sudden realization struck her, so sharp and horrifying that the chart slipped through her fingers, clattering loudly on the linoleum floor.

"Sakura-san?"

"I'm sorry," she stumbled away from the two concerned chunin, "I'm not feeling very well. Go ahead and see Kakashi, I'll," she swallowed, eyes darting around wildly like a cornered animal looking for escape routs, "I'll visit him later."

Darting into the nearest stairwell, she took her steps two at a time, racing up the six floors of the building at a speed that left her breathless and dizzy.

It was _her_ fault.

She didn't remember the record because there _wasn't_ one. Kakashi had never had his spleen ruptured, never had his kidneys fail, never encountered the ninja's that led him down this dangerous road. If she hadn't gone on that mission, if she hadn't been injured, they wouldn't have slowed their pace or changed their route. Kakashi's team would have been back in Konoha a solid week earlier.

This was her fault. All her—

No. She couldn't start thinking that way, couldn't play the blame game. She knew which road that led to and was well versed on the psychiatric problems of many a shinobi. After all, the most dangerous thing to a shinobi off the battlefield was himself. Too much trauma from spilt blood from both friend and foe alike, left deep scars. Some drank, some smoked, some went downright insane.

Sakura was not going to walk that tightrope. She had been enough time down in the psych ward to know better than to play with the knife's edge like that.

Bursting into the sunlight, she clattered on the roof barefooted and hair loose. Although her teammates had been thoughtful enough to leave her clothes, she had only had one pair of boots, and in her rush to find out Kakashi's status, she hadn't bothered bounding her hair.

Her mother would have been horrified at the sight of her; the heir of the prestigious Haruno clan dressed as some paltry, wild-eyed country girl down to her tangled hair and dirty feet. Small acts of rebellion might have teased out a smile if she hadn't picked up the slightest bit of movement out of the corner of her eye.

Squinting into the sunlight, all she could make out where vague shadows next to the electrical equipment—or what were meant to look like vague shadows.

Dark eyes peered at her from behind a porcelain mask, and the man they belonged to felt contented with the knowledge that the colorful woman could not see him. No doubt she had sensed him, the flicker of his existence as he leaped between time and space.

How he _despised_ her, and yet how he _needed_ her still. It frustrated him to no end that he couldn't just dismiss the pinkette and end her taxing existence.

The shadow man frowned as he thought upon the "Mrs. Kirk's" interventions. He needed to separate the Allotter from the children; that much was essential for his plan. His blood was still boiling at that aging bat's attempt to thwart him, and his jaw tightened in barely suppressed fury.

But then, just as quickly, the anger dissolved, and he smiled at the young woman, his eyes glinting predatorily. It did not matter. In fact, he decided, it was better this way.

The scene dissolved around him, and the rooftop in Konoha was replaced by a small round office. He leaned casually against the wall, his eyes idly flickering out the window as he waited to be noticed. Iwa, he observed, was absolutely dreadful this time of year.

"So you're back, I see," the Tsuchikage said by way of greeting as he flipped through a stack of paperwork.

The masked man's lips spread, tilting upward and outward. It seemed like a smile, it may have even felt like a smile, but there was nothing warm or pleasant in that darkly pleased look. Even after he vanished back into the shadows, that little spot of the world seemed darker somehow, tainted and twisted, like a stain that could never quite be scrubbed out.

.

The Hokage's secretary already looked quite frazzled before Sakura made her appearance and was unnecessarily snappish when Sakura asked to see the Third.

"He's in a meeting," the chunin told her tersely, flipping through a stack of official looking documents without so much as a glance in her direction.

Sakura bristled. There was no need for the man to be rude, but when she noticed him nursing what appeared to be his third cup of coffee (if the empty pot and Styrofoam cups in the waste basket were any indication), she decided to let the issue slide.

"I'm here to pick up my stub for my mission pay," she repeated as politely as she could.

The secretary cast a long deliberate look at Sakura's wardrobe, her eyes traveling from her messy hair to her bare feet, and she raised a delicate eyebrow incredulously. "Are you now?"

"Yes," she reiterated firmly, "I _am_. My name is Sakura. S-A-K-U-R-A," she spelled out, "it should be on the register if you'd bother to look."

The petite secretary rolled her eyes, but finally rolled over to the 'mission return' folder. "Last name Miss Sa-ku-ra," she emphasized equally annoyed at the pinkette's attitude.

"There is no last name," she ground out, getting frustrated at the other woman's behavior, "Just look it up under Sakura."

"Fine, fine," the secretary grumbled as the flipped through the stack of envelopes, "Well what do you know there _is_ a Sakura no-last-name shinobi—"

She all but snatched the envelope out of the secretary's hand, having reached the end of her patience. She was tired and hungry. All she wanted to do was go home, shower, and try and convince the kids not to catch the apartment on fire. She was _done_ with this snooty secretary with her perfect hair and wrinkle-free skirt. What did she know about being a shinobi?

Before she could say anything she might regret, Sakura helped herself out of the building. It took a block or two for her to calm down, and by that time, she noticed the odd weight of the envelope in her hand.

It was heavier than the normal paycheck, and there was an odd shifting as though something were rolling around. After a quick investigation, she learned why. It was a key, small but heavyset. Apparently saving one's teammates twice from imminent death qualified her for access to the jounin storage unit.

The storage unit wasn't anything spectacular, and most shinobi often preferred to buy or make their own equipment (personalized for their preferred handgrip and fighting styles). There were standard-issue clothes, military grade boots, and a stockpile of the standard, mass-produced weapons like kunai and senbon.

It wasn't anything high-grade, but it was certainly budget friendly. Who knows, maybe they'd have something in the kids' sizes.

Speaking of kids, she _missed_ her little hoard of half-humans. She missed the spaghetti monster on the ceiling and finding Kimi's cartoon drawings on the wall. She missed listening to Rori and Dale try to explain how they made the toilet explode _this_ time and listening to Moro snore in his sleep. She missed Mimi's bouquets of wildflowers and weeds and how Sota always stood on his tiptoes when Itachi walked by so that he looked taller. Gods, she had _missed_ them so much! There was not a force in this or any other universe that could stand between her and home now.

Except, apparently, there was.

.

Something was nagging her as she ascended the stairs to her apartment, and it took her another set of stairs to realize what was wrong. It was quiet. It was _never_ quiet. Her left hand instinctively reached for her weapons pouch.

'No, don't jump to conclusions.' She forced her fingers to let go of the kunai. 'They could just be playing at the park.'

Although she managed to retract her hand, she picked up her pace as if speed alone would make a difference. When she reached the landing, it felt as though her heart stopped in her chest. Maybe it was because she was a medic nin or maybe it was because she had been exposed to a large amount of it over the course of her shinobi career, but whatever the reason, there was no mistaking metallic aroma.

Blood.

Her hands shook violently as she struggled with her keys. Some part of her brain that wasn't enveloped in panic coldly recognized the futility of her actions. What would it matter what was on the other side of that door? What good would it do her to see it?

But she had to. She just did. She had to prove that fear wrong. They were fine; the kids were _fine_. Her nerves were just jumpy after a long mission and she was working herself up for _nothing_.

The door swung open, and with settling dread, Sakura walked inside.

.

"_You want to know the reason, the _real_ reason Naruto threw Sakura out like she's yesterday's news?"_

_Kakashi didn't say anything as he watched his former student suture his own wounds. Naruto have given him a nasty laceration in his left leg, and if Kakashi hadn't stepped in when he did, it was very likely that the Uchiha bloodline would have ended that day._

_Sasuke himself was in an unusual mood, surprisingly free with information. Perhaps it was the blood loss, perhaps it was his close encounter with death, but whatever his reasons, Sasuke seemed to be finding his situation darkly humorous, smirking at the ironic twist that fate had thrown him._

"_He loves her."_

"_Yes," Kakashi noted, "he certainly does."_

_The onyx-haired boy ignored the older man's somewhat sarcastic reply, focusing instead on his wound. "Did you ever take anatomy?"_

"_Of course," the copycat ninja replied, "it's one of the requirements of becoming a jounin."_

"_How about embryology?"_

_Kakashi stared at him blankly._

"_No?" Sasuke tutted, "How about gamete production?"_

_Kakashi shook his head. "I'm not a medical specialist Sasuke."_

_Sasuke frowned in mild irritation. He didn't like giving lectures—that was usually Sakura's forte—but his old sensei just wasn't _getting_ it._

"_Girls," he drawled, "are born with all the gametes, or eggs, they will ever produce in their lives. Before they are even _born_, they have every egg premade and just waiting to go. We produce our gamete, or sperm, throughout our lives making new ones every day. Whereas a girl's reproductive abilities are more or less set from the day they are born, our ability to produce gametes fluctuates by lifestyle changes, diet, and even chakra levels."_

_The grey-haired man continued to stare at his former student., "Are you implying that Naruto is… impotent?" he asked incredulously._

_Sasuke snorted. Had he been freer with his expressions, perhaps Kakashi would have been able to determine if it was in derision or from humor, but as always, Sasuke's face was a blank mask_

_Finally, he replied monotonously, "Did you ever find it odd, that most jinchuuriki are female?"_

"_That's not true," Kakashi corrected, "All of Iwa's jinchuuriki have been male."_

_Sasuke rolled his eyes. "That's because Iwa _sterilizes_ all the potential hosts before the transfer is made."_

_The former sensei stared at the last Uchiha in surprise. _

"_I do my homework," Sasuke stated coldly as if he was disappointed in Kakashi's lack of information. "I thought it was rather odd that females were preferred in many cases. At first, I assumed it was because girls, as a general rule, have better chakra control than boys. But I did a little digging, and while that may be a factor in some cases, it's not the only reason girls are preferred._

"_You see, _sensei_," Sasuke intoned mockingly, "Female jinchuuriki can have children, normal, healthy children simply because their gametes are unaffected by the demon they are carrying. Granted, there is still a risk for females as pregnancy weakens the seal, but as long as you have a fuuinjutsu specialist on hand, complications are minimal."_

_Realization dawned as Kakashi gaped at the young man before him. Most of Konoha may have been fooled by that stunt in waterfall two years ago, but while Sasuke let the general public believe whatever they wanted (after all, it only added to his notoriety), a few insiders knew the truth._

_Sasuke wasn't a traitor; while he wasn't the most loyal with regards to his homeland, he was absolutely unwavering in his allegiance to the few people he cared for. Sakura happened to be one of them. He was loyal to her and she was loyal to Konoha which is probably the only reason he ever bothered saving their skins at all. _

_Sasuke was easily one of the greatest thieves of information on the planet, and Kakashi was beginning to appreciate why. _

_His throat felt thick as he tried to swallow. "What happens when male jinchuuriki have children?"_

_Sasuke tied off the sutra and reached over his shoulder for the roll of bandages. "There are only three documented cases…._

"_The first woman who became pregnant with a jinchuuriki's offspring went insane and murdered her entire family. They actually only found out she was pregnant after they put her down. Apparently it had something to do with chakra toxicity coming from the infant that overloaded her central nervous system._

"_The second case was more of an experiment. A Kiri kunoichi had volunteered, and they kept her under close watch. They even had a medical team on staff to help drain some of the malevolent chakra from her system. According to the file, she had almost come to term when they found her in her house covered in blood. She had stabbed herself trying to "get the thing out" before it ripped her apart. It is unclear in the report whether she was the one to perforate her stomach or if it was the baby."_

_Sasuke paused as he tied of his bandages. When it was clear that he wasn't going to add anything else, Kakashi finally prompted him, "And the third case."_

_Sasuke stared at him, expression blank and closed, but his eyes squinted at Kakashi as if he couldn't believe how dimwitted the older man was._

"_I don't know," he muttered mockingly as he rose to his feet, "Why don't you ask the Kazekage how his mother is doing."_

.

For a good long time, she forgot how to breathe. Her keys fell to the floor.

It was… It was _clean_. The laundry was folded, the floor was vacuumed, and even the mustard stain had been scraped off the ceiling.

'But the blood,' her brain stuttered, 'I smelled it.' And she still smelled it. Wandering around the living room, she wasn't sure if she should be relieved or more concerned. The building was silent, the air tasted bitter and stale, she missed the clatter of the kids— Moro, Mimi, Rori, Dale, Kimi, and Sota, even Itachi—they weren't anywhere in sight, and while she tried to console herself that they were probably just over at Mrs. Kirk's the nagging doubt remained.

She could still smell blood.

Following her nose, she eventually found herself standing in the abandoned bedroom. The pillow and sheet tent had been dismantled, the components pushed aside and stacked neatly against the far wall. She had never underrated cleanliness before, but she hated it now.

In the middle of the floor was an ominous dark stain, and sitting precariously at the edge of the dresser was a stark white envelope with her name on it.

Stepping forward with trembling hands, she pulled it open.

_Sakura,_

_It seems as though we need to talk._

_Please stop by my apartment as soon as you get the chance. _

_-Mrs. K_

Her mother had warned her about this; that if she became a ninja Sakura would spend the rest of her life hopping from one fire to the next. She had known the risks, had known that statistically speaking she had a better chance of randomly teleporting to the moon than living past her mid thirties, but Sakura had never truly appreciated what her mother had meant until that very moment.

"Ano, I never seem to have any luck do I?"

.

Some part of her, the part that wasn't in a state of shock, wasn't really surprised. After all the exciting things that had been happening to her lately, by this point it was only expected that something like this would jump out of the woodwork.

After Mrs. Kirk had ushered her into her small living room, the elder women didn't waste any time explaining the events that had transpired in her absence.

"So someone was after Kimi because of her chakra?"

Mrs. Kirk nodded. "Kimi has a very rare chakra type that allows her to pull energy from the earth rather than from her own energy. Over time, she could build up vast amounts of chakra, like the First's chakra trees. In the wrong hands, this could be very dangerous."

"I see," Sakura said thoughtfully as she swirled her tea. In her time, there was only one person that she knew of who could naturally draw upon the earth's energy: Jugo. She had made a special point of researching all the members of Sasuke's team Hebi when they had been hunting him down, and Jugo's unique case fascinated her.

Jugo could innately draw upon the energy of his surroundings without going into sage mode or seemingly being aware of it, but this came at a great personal cost. Since Jugo had never formerly been trained as a ninja, he had never developed proper chakra control, and as such, a sudden surge in the amount of energy he absorbed would cause him to go berserk. Most of the time, he was like a simmering volcano and the pressure would slowly build up and up until, in a violent and destructive blast, the energy exploded from him.

Powerful. Dangerous. Forced into isolation for the benefit of others. She wasn't going to let Kimi become like that.

Sighing, she set down her cup. "I'm going to have to teach her how to control her chakra—no, how to _master_ her chakra."

Mrs. Kirk patted her arm sympathetically. "I know you did not want to force them into our world, to be ninja, but for Kimi-chan's sake, you may have to."

The pinket nodded, because really what else could she do? "Where are the kids now?"

"Itachi-san took them to the park. I'm surprised they didn't see you on your way back."

"Arigato, Mrs. Kirk. I think I will go find them."

.

_Kakashi cleared his throat. "Very well, you've made your point. So they can't have kids. I'm sure if Naruto explained it to her, Sakura would…"_

_He trailed off as he saw the look on Sasuke's face._

.

The only thing stranger than being the only boy at a tea party, Itachi decided, was having that tea party while sitting upside down.

"More tea Kimi-chan?" Mimi offered.

The youngest girl giggled as she held out her cup. "Yes please Mimi-chan! And Itachi-nii-san needs more too. His cup is empty."

Internally, the boy groaned. He did _not_ want to drink any more water from the creek, but he held out his cup anyways with Kimi's prodding. Drinking tea upside down from underneath the jungle gym was not his idea of how to spend the afternoon. Sota and Moro had finally got the hang of tree walking so of course that is all they wanted to do, but for the two girls, interest had waned after a few days of playing tag in the trees.

So while the boys were still figuring out how to leap from branch to branch, Mimi and Kimi decided to have a tea party. Using chakra to stick to the bars did make it more exciting, but still, it was a tea party. Itachi, despite his softer side, was still very much a boy so naturally he found the concept of sitting around and drinking "tea" tedious at best.

A cry went up from the boys in the trees. Alarmed and unable to comprehend what it was they were shouting, Itachi flipped back to the ground and reached for a kunai—only to have the teapot full of creek water land on his head as Kimi flew across the clearing as though she were rocket shot from a cannon.

"Mamma's back!"

He put away his kunai. 'Finally.'

Spotting the pink head of hair as she stumbled into the play area with all four boys hanging off her back and arms, Itachi watched as she laughed and stumbled before giving up and hugging them back with equal ferocity.

.

_Sasuke looked at his former teacher with an expression of absolute derision. "In all the years that you have known Sakura, from the day you met her until the day she disappeared, you never did learn anything about her."_

_Then with a grunt of disgust, he hobbled away from the older man not sparing him a second glance. _

.

She smiled, laughing as she clung to them. Her eyes watered in relief as she kissed the top of Mimi's head. They were alive, they were safe, and at that moment, as her arms drew each of them closer, there was nothing more in the world she could have asked for.

…

**A/N:** Since my birthday's next week, I have a special request. Here's your mission:

1. Choose a character

2. Create a _brief_ back story/side story/front story/whatever floats your boat

Winner gets one**_ free plot spoiler_** and the posting of your Omake at the bottom of the next chapter. Preferred characters include those that I haven't already created a backstory for (such as Rin, the kids (Kimi, Mimi, Sota, Rori, Dale, Moro), or Tatewaki Kuno), but if you really want to do an outtake on what Minato does in his free time, go for it. The number of submissions is unlimited so have fun with it. You have until the next update (2-3 weeks).

.

As always, please take a quick second to review (I promise it doesn't hurt). Thanks and Godspeed!


	14. Teacher

**Fate's Allotter Part 2**

**Chapter 14: Teacher**

.

Once again, Minato found himself behind another rock wall formation trying to catch his breath before plunging back into the chaos. His hands were sticky, coated in red, and even though he ached all over, he couldn't stop, not yet at least. Not until this damn war was over.

The days seemed to bleed together as the war trudged on and on with no end in sight. He was sore and _tired_ and just wanted to sleep, but sleep would not come. Breathing _hurt_. Most days it felt as though a noose was slowly tightening around his neck, and every man he killed, every drop of blood spilled at his hands had it squeezing around his trachea, choking off his air.

After a particularly bad day, he asked the medics if there was something wrong with his lungs, but they reassured him, again and again, that everything was fine. He was in perfect health, they said, and it was probably just the side effect

of mild chakra exhaustion.

On the quieter nights, he watched the men around him; watched how each day the strain on their face became greater, the darkness under their eyes darker. They held tightly to their weapons, stashing them under pillows and blankets, as though death was only a moment away. Some held the role nobly, carrying an undeserved burden. Some vanished, shrieking into the night.

And Minato could feel the own change occurring; he was distancing himself, closing himself off from the savage brutality and the screams of agony. He stared at his bloody hands in detachment, watching as one of the medics scrubbed them clean. His eyes followed his companions listlessly, watching as they pulled nurses behind screens, spit on dead bodies of fallen Iwa, and committed atrocities that would have otherwise sickened him.

But he sat back coldly, feeling nothing, doing nothing, existing merely as a pair of eyes looking out at an ugly world. He felt like a ghost living in a shell, like a machine disguised as a man. He wasn't living, just going through the motions.

To a certain extent, it terrified him, the detachment from humanity, the coldness he felt creeping over his own heart. Maybe it was a defensive mechanism, a way of coping,

That place called Konoha seemed like a world of imagination now; too pretty and bright for men like him. So many times, he had been called a hero, and so many more, had he looked over his shoulder half expecting to see some magnificent being, a creature worth heralding.

But there was no one else, no ancestors or golden kami. Just him.

It was just him that the army was looking to, and a part of him died when he realized what their eyes were pleading for, what they wanted him to do. He felt like collapsing, like falling to his knees and weeping like a helpless child. His garden was _full_, he wanted to tell them, and he couldn't do it anymore.

But the soldier in him, the cold part of his soul that had become quiet and distant, silently nodded at the expectant faces.

War brought out the best and the worst in men.

They smiled in relief, patting him on the back as Minato sold another part of his soul to the demons of hell. They might hail him as a hero in this life, but when Kami's judgment came, no one would be smiling.

Minato sat down before rows and rows of gleaming kunai and pulled out an ink brush. With each stroke, he hated himself a little more.

.

Sakura stared at the list in front of her. The words "field medic" seemed to jump out at her, and although her eyes lingered there, after a long moment she forced them to keep moving.

It said a good deal about the nature of the war that every position on the front lines from medic to taijutsu specialist what wide open whereas all the "paperwork" positions like academy instructor and gate guard had more requests than availabilities.

Sakura shook her head sadly, glad that for once her range of skills kept doors open that would have normally been closed. She could easily go into the hospital, if she wanted, and worked herself from dawn until dusk fixing shinobi just to send them back out again.

But, ironically, the hospital was the last place she wanted to be right now. Compared to the world she came from, the medical practices were horribly out of date, crude even. No matter how careful she was to hide her knowledge, some of that would still shine through, and her cover would be blown before she could even complete her first surgery.

She only had to cast one look at the archaic dialysis machine Kakashi was hooked up to in order to see the problem; it would be when she was in her most familiar element that she was the most at risk for exposing herself. So, with no small amount of reluctance, she shied away from the one place that needed her most.

But what did that leave her? A position on the front lines? No, she couldn't afford to be so far away from the kids any more, not after Mrs. Kirk's revelation, and it wasn't as though she could just bring them with her.

So what then? What was left?

Well, there actually was one thing that was perfectly suited to her needs; it only required a few hours of labor per day, and better yet, it kept her in Konoha. Plus, the only requirement for the position was absolute chakra control which suited her perfectly.

She quickly signed her name to the bottom of the ledger before hanging her sheet over to the recruitment officer. He raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise before giving her a stern look.

"Don't blow yourself up."

Then he stamped the document and called, "Next!"

.

"I'm just so thrilled that someone finally signed up for the position!" the Kunochi squealed in delight, "We've had no end of trouble getting the position filled since Akane overexerted herself two months ago and nearly destroyed half the forest."

"Yes, well," Sakura replied feeling distinctly uncomfortable, "that _is_ unfortunate."

"But man you should have seen it!" the young woman went on, "Boom! And then Woosh! And if it hadn't been for Lisa's quick thinking—anyways, I'm sure _you'll_ be fine. What did you say your chakra efficiency was? 99%? I'm just surprised the medic core didn't snatch you up the minute you left the academy."

Sakura just opted to stay quiet as the short brunette rambled. Her eyes kept drifting to the nearby trees as they walked. Some were still and solemn while others were practically humming with life and energy.

By the looks of things, the first hokage had seemingly built the entire forest that surrounded Konoha himself. There were easily four times the number of chakra trees than there had been in her time, and she couldn't help her eyes shooting around in amazement.

"Yes, they're quite impressive aren't they?" the other kunoichi interrupted her thoughts, "these silent protectors of our village. Hopefully we can end this war without their help."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

"The First planted these trees as a kind of last defense in case the village herself was attacked. I suppose they can act as some kind of chakra reservoir, but I've always had this feeling that there's a bit more to them than that."

"Like what?" she questioned, genuinely curious.

"Oh, I don't know," the kunoichi waved her hand unhelpfully, "it's just that if all the First wanted was to create a massive chakra pool to draw on in times of crisis, trees don't exactly seem like the best source. I mean, they're resilient and all, but if you hit them with the wrong side of an exploding tag, they have enough combustion power to take down a good chunk of the forest.

"To me, that sounds like something that would be very exploitable if I was an invading shinobi, and while I didn't know the First Hokage personally, I'd like to think that the person who put an end to the feud between the Uchiha and Senju clans wasn't so stupid as to populate the forest with highly volatile explosives."

Sakura didn't think so either.

"But anyway," the brunette continued, "Here's your assignment: this big guy," she affectionately patted the trunk of a very large tree, "is called Master Roshi. Master Roshi, this is Sakura."

The pinkette went along with the joke, theatrically bowing as though she were introducing herself to a real person, "Please treat me kindly.

The kunochi's lips quirked up in a smile. "Aye Sakura-chan, I can tell already that you're going to fit right in. Welcome to the Leaf Corps."

.

Months later, a young woman with bright pink hair found herself up before the dawn, marching into the heavily wooded forest. She shivered as her boots crunched through the snow and pulled her cheap jacket tighter.

Gods she hated winter. Ever since she became an adult, the turning of the seasons changed her opinion of the white fluff from one of amazement to that of annoyance. She hated feeling cold, and she hated being too poor to afford proper clothing. But, she had a job to do, and there was no way she was putting the kids through another night without the heater.

So here she was, shuffling through the snow before the kids woke up, and hoping she could finish her work before she got frostbite.

Stopping by the "office" (which was little more than a glorified storage shed), she picked up a chakra monitor and one of the spare blankets Lisa had donated to the morning crew. Today's assignment was Master Roku, the massive oak in the eastern territory, and even though it wasn't far away, Sakura hurried on regardless, eager to get out of the icy cold.

It wasn't hard work, at least not for her, but it was draining. Literally. Day in and day out, she fed her chakra to the trees. The monitor in her pocket would track the amount of chakra she poured into a given chakra tree, and based on some bizarre calculation, this somehow determined her pay.

While Sakura would have been more than content to dump most of her daily reserves any given day for a larger paystub, the system didn't quite work that way. Since she was an "in-house" shinobi that was essentially anchored within the villages walls, this automatically slotted her into one of the defense units.

She was given rationed limits on how much chakra she could use in a given day be it from training, working, or otherwise. In the event that there was an emergency or the village was attacked, she had to have enough reserves to manage herself as the situation required.

For someone who literally lived paycheck-to-paycheck to keep seven kids fed, warm, and clothed, this kind of mandate was living hell. She savored the days when she was permitted to use up sixty or, even more rarely, seventy percent of her chakra capacity, and groaned on the majority when she was restricted to fifteen.

In its own way though, the amount of chakra she could use on a given day was very telling. On big days, it meant that a platoon of soldiers was back in the village. While they got some R & R, they doubled as the defensive units and thereby permitted her to get a good day in.

On that particular morning, Sakura found herself staring dumbly at the chakra meter, lips parted slightly in shock.

87%

Breath escaped in a white cloud of mist, as she wondered what the hell had happened.

.

Later that morning, she kept scanning the faces of shinobi as they poured into the village. It looked as though half of the army had been called back. As she picked up her groceries, rumors circulated around her ears.

There were murmurs of Iwa retreating, a massive battle, and a man that seemed to flash through the air. There were also whispers—hushed voices, darting glances—that the Third Hokage was preparing to step down once the war had ended.

Over the crowd, Sakura kept looking for a wisp of blond hair. Periodically her eyes would land on a Uchiha wearing different parts of Sasuke's face or the paint of an ANBU mask which was almost familiar. Even after she finished shopping, she kept glancing about looking for the masked man she had befriended and a handsome blond shinobi who eerily resembled her old teammate.

But despite her searching, she found neither. Biting her lip in worry, once more she tried to remember the names on the memorial stone and hoped—prayed—that her fears were wrong.

.

She could hear them even when she was still two blocks away from her apartment.

They were regular little monsters now, leaping across rooftops and screaming at the top of their lungs. Letting them run around outside was just as much to get them out of Mrs. Kirk's hair as it was to get them some practical experience. They scampered up frozen telephone poles, balanced on electrical wires, and ran across the narrow edge of the wooden fence.

She didn't so much as bat an eye anymore when Moro jumped off a building or when Rori and Dale began transforming into nearby villagers (she did, however, curse Itachi for ever teaching them that technique). If she managed to go a full day without Kimi challenging some hapless academy graduate to a "battle on the field of honor" or without Sota dunking Mimi into the lake _again_… then it was a good day.

Kami knows, she hadn't expected them to latch onto ninja training so aggressively, but Sakura believed that her mission and subsequent trip to the hospital must have shaken up the small family dramatically. She hated that fear had been a motivational factor, but then, she would have hated herself if she had to trick or bribe them. Those were _her_ tiny humans and _her_ hoard of baby ninja. If she was going to train them, she was going to do it right.

While she wasn't strictly following academy curriculum, she was very careful in what she taught them. If she pushed taijutsu too early, it would stunt their growth, but if she began genjutsu before they had gained some mental maturity, they could just as easily develop some very disabling mental disorders. Furthermore, she couldn't teach them any advanced jutsu either as that would strain their developing chakra coils.

Thus limited, she set about things in a different way. She taught them small jutsu like making a small flame for a campfire, how to circulate your chakra to stay warm on cold nights, the most basic level of healing techniques (Boo-boo-be-gone no-jutsu), and how to project chakra from different parts of the body so they could stick to trees with just the tip of their pinky. Small stuff yes, but still absolutely essential to survival. She taught them which plants were safe to eat, which were poisonous, and which would—as Sota demonstrated—make your skin ooze with pus and itch like crazy.

The only academy jutsu she flat out refused to teach them (or at least not until they were older) was the clone replication technique. It was not strictly because they lacked the ability but the simple fact that she already had her hands full trying to keep track of one set of twins, and she had absolutely no desire to sort through another twenty identical faces just to find out who broke the lamp _this_ time. Those two were trouble enough as it was, she didn't need to give them any more advantages.

Despite her limitations, the kids seemed to thrive under her teachings excelling in leaps in bounds. They ran patrols with her and built up their stamina. They learned how to walk on water (with much less dedication as the water temperatures became progressively colder).

Weapons, though, is where it got tricky. Normally, the basic shinobi weapons of kunai and ninja stars were ideal for someone of their small build, but several of the boys, notably Rori and Dale, shied away from these weapons with no small amount of trepidation. Having seen their parents die with comparable weapons, it was only natural that they would be more than a bit reluctant to even touch ones of a similar make

But this in turn put Sakura in a bit of a pickle. She couldn't teach them swordplay or any of the heavier weapons when they didn't have the strength to back up even the mildest of blocks, and there was no way she was letting any of them near exploding tags. She also couldn't just teach the few that weren't affected by the weapons and leave the twins to their own devices (Kami knows what kind of trouble they would get in).

In the end, her solution was rather clever.

Senbon.

It was the only weapon she could find that didn't leave half the group looking as though they were going to throw up and wasn't too large and cumbersome for them to properly handle. Even with this ideal solution, however, weapon training still seemed to bring no end of problems.

Senbon practice was actually her biggest trial as a sensei as only Mimi ever seemed to grasp the basics of it. The rest of the groups barely sat through these lessons, and she probably would have given it up as a lost cause if Itachi hadn't stepped in. One afternoon when the kids were being particularly rowdy, he grabbed a handful of needles and threw them at a wasps nest.

On the one hand, Sakura had been less than impressed. His aim had left something to be desired, and she had been left to kill off a dozen angry insects when he failed to do more than rattle the nest and kill one with a lucky shot.

But just like whatever Itachi did, throwing senbon at wasps and other insects suddenly became _cool_. Kimi's enthusiasm was somewhat frightening ("Die you honorless roach!"), but considering her accuracy was about as good as Moro's chakra control, Sakura wasn't terribly worried.

The jounin storage unit proved to be an invaluable asset as they made biweekly raids. The kids went through senbon like it was water, and Sakura was certain that if there was ever someone taking stocks of the supplies, they would be undoubtedly horrified at the rate that the needles seemed to be disappearing.

It turns out that it did have clothes in child size, but it left her kids with very limited color options—grey, black, green, and occasionally the lucky blue. But considering how much outfit swapping went on in her apartment, it didn't seem to matter who was wearing what these days.

The real problem had been coats. The storage unit did not provide for much in terms of winter clothing, and given that Fire country was predominantly a temperate climate, coats of any kind did not come cheaply. In fact, Sakura ended up spending most of her bigger paydays on coats, boots, and other winter accessories.

It had actually been during one of their hunts through the bargain bin that Sakura found a warm looking kimono-style top. It was not her usual style per se, but it covered her arms—especially that chakra scar the kyuubi had given her—and was a bit more feminine than those jounin style turtlenecks. And it was blue, not red, for a change.

She hadn't even consciously decided to buy it until she was already at the counter, and the clerk was ringing up her purchases.

Just like that, her appearance had shifted—bells in her hair and blue on her back—so different and strange from the one she had had before. Sometimes she wondered at the changes that had fallen upon her since she had entered this world—her altered appearance and the hard decisions she had come to face—would anyone recognize her anymore? Would Naruto?

.

_The head of the Haruno clan found his wife sitting out on the terrace, the wind blowing softly through her hair. He meant to put a hand on her shoulder, but she scooted away from his touch._

"_This is your fault," she snarled with the kind of fierce protectiveness that is innate to all mothers, no matter how estranged their children become. _

_He sighed, not daring to sit beside her. Especially when she was pretending not to cry. "As much as you may think otherwise, I do not invite trouble to our doorstep."_

_She shot him a look of disbelief. "Everything, all of this, it is all your fault," she stated without question or doubt, "Sakura becoming a ninja, you walked her to the academy yourself, her befriending that troublesome boy, which you encouraged, and now this mess..."_

"_You speak as though I do not have her best interests in mind, as though I deliberately walk her to danger. It is not so."_

"_Just tell me why you did it."_

"_Because it was not in her best interests to know the truth, because sometimes the truth makes the journey harder rather than easier, and because, quite frankly, even if she had known, even if we had told her everything, she would have made the same decision, would have gone the same way I sent her. I know my daughter well enough for that."_

_His wife was quiet as she stared into the breeze. Softly, so softly he could barely hear her, she whispered, "I know," and then more clearly, "but that's not what parents are for."_

.

"Okay, today's lesson is dodging."

The troops were gathered at one of the indoor training centers, each armed with exactly one dozen rubber balls. Sakura had learned through a process of trial and error that the best way to teach kids with a short attention span was not by boring them to death with academy-style lectures. No, training had to be fun, like a game.

"The rules are that you can only use the rubber balls of your color. Sota's blue, Moro's red, Kimi's green, Mimi's purple, Itachi is black, Rori is yellow, Dale is orange, and I'm pink. You can use any surface in this room and any of the jutsu I taught you. You can also pick your balls up off the ground once you run out, but only if they are your color.

"If you get hit by someone else's ball then you're out of the game, and if you are the last one left, you get to decide where we go for lunch."

The kids instantly started shouting out suggestions.

"Dango!" cheered Mimi.

"Barbeque" the twins said simultaneously.

"Ramen!" Sota shouted loudest of all.

"No way," Moro said as he wrinkled his nose, "I'm sick of ramen."

"Rice pudding with curry!" Kimi threw in excitedly, practically bouncing in anticipation.

Everyone stared at her.

"Okay, I take it back," Moro said, "Anything but _that_."

"What happens if no one hits you," Itachi asked Sakura.

She smiled deviously, "Then I get to pick out lunch, and you know what that means?"

Six kids looked at her in horror while Itachi's expression remained carefully neutral.

"Not vegetables!" Mimi squealed in dismay.

"No, ick!" the twins gagged, "No way!"

"No, no, no, no, NO!" Kimi chanted covering her ears.

"Yes," Sakura promised darkly, "The nastiest vegetables I can find, and I'll make you eat every last one."

Never let it be said that the road to becoming a ninja was blocked just because your parents didn't have a shinobi background or because you weren't born with a kekkei genkai or monstrous chakra coils. Anyone could be a ninja; Sakura was living proof of that. All you needed was the right teacher.

"Let's get her!"

The twins reacted first, leaping in opposite directions and throwing half of their balls at her. Pushing chakra into her feet, Sakura jumped over the barrage and with a well-timed flip, landed on the ceiling where Kimi charged her. The pinkette shifted to the left as a purple ball whizzed by her ear and hit Kimi in the forehead.

"Kimi's out," Moro cheered in relief only to get hit in the stomach by one of Itachi's balls. It took all of Sakura's self control not to laugh at his expression.

"Mind your surroundings," she instead chided, smiling despite herself.

The jounin casually dropped one of her balls as she passed over Dale's head, but suddenly found herself dodging as it was reflected back at her. Mimi, who had the best aim, smirked from where she crouched in between the twins, covering for them as they collected the rest of their balls from the floor.

'_Nice teamwork.'_

"Be aware of _your_ surroundings Mama!" Sota shouted from behind her.

She could feel the air current from the ball under her shoulder as she barely slid out of the way. The blue ball bounced off the wall and hit Mimi in the shoe before she could completely get out of the way.

"Hey!" she shouted indignantly.

"You would have got me if you hadn't given away your location," Sakura pointed out to Sota as she reached for another pink ball, but her brow wrinkled in confusion when she found that he was still smiling like Naruto had after one of his legendary pranks.

That is, until something tapped her on the shoulder, and a black ball rolled to her feet.

_Damn_.

Itachi, despite his cunning victory, was wearing little more than his usual poker face. This, however, did nothing to stop Sota from his usual gleeful gloating.

"He he!" the brunet crowed, "I _told you_ to mind your surroundings!"

"Mama's out?" Kimi asked, her legs swinging from the bench.

"Yes, I'm out," Sakura sighed somewhat disappointed with herself. There goes her plan of ticking the kids into eating something healthy for once, but she smiled and rubbed Sota's hair. "Good job you two!"

Flipping back to the ground, she then took a seat between Moro and Kimi. "Who do you think is going to win?

"Itachi!" Kimi crowed loyally, and Sakura wondered why she even bothered to ask.

Moro was still sulking, and when he finally grumbled out "Rori," Sakura wasn't sure if that was an honest assessment of if he was just being contradictory to Kimi.

Mimi huffed as she took a seat beside Kimi. "Sota's going to win," she said dismissively as though it was already a done deal, written in the stars. The sky is blue. The grass is green. Sota's going to win. The short brunette shrugged under Sakura's questioning gaze and said "The annoying ones _always_ win" as if that explained everything.

Mimi's coverage, brief though it had been, had given Rori and Dale enough time to gather up the majority of the yellow and orange balls, and they went flying at Itachi with a speed only matched by his own. It was all Sota could do to stay out of the way as he clung to the rafters and tried to peg one of the twins as they zipped around the walls. Sakura could see what was going to happen as the four boys bounced around; the twins might be the absolute worst when it came to strategy (what with their Naruto-like attention spans), but it didn't take a brilliant mind to see that they were slowly driving Itachi into a corner.

Dale's hand went into his pouch and pulled out as many orange balls as he could hold while Rori zipped past his brother, moving to outflank Itachi. A blue ball skimmed the top of the brunet's head.

"He missed?!" Mimi asked incredulous.

The ball bounced off the wall behind Itachi and hit Dale in the chest.

Itachi, wearing a somewhat bored expression, lazily flicked a black ball in Rori's direction, and even the younger boy was surprised when it popped him in the nose.

"Aw man!" "Seriously!" The twins moaned. Dale threw his balls at Itachi anyways, watching grumpily as half of them bounced off his claves.

"Hey! I win!" Sota declared. "I'm the only one that didn't get hit!"

"Nuh-ah!" Kimi protested, "You didn't get Itachi!"

"That's not part of the rules. Mama only said that if you get hit with a ball than you're out of the game. She didn't say you had to be hit by the people who are still playing," Sota argued.

Kimi did a double take looking lost, Mimi groaned in resignation, and Moro slapped his head at his own stupidity.

"He's right," Sakura beamed. '_Now that's thinking like a ninja_.'

"That wasn't part of the rules. I only gave you three remember? So it's up to you on how creative you are with them." She smiled as she began picking up her balls. "Who wants to play another round before we go out for lunch?"

.

Round two had been much more serious, and Kimi had taken to hiding behind others as a meat shield whenever someone was aiming at her. Sota, as if in punishment for winning, had been the first one out, but he had been more than happy to snipe anyone who happened to turn his or her back to the benches.

By the end of round three, everyone was exhausted, low on chakra, and more than ready to eat whatever was set in front of them. Even… even ramen.

"Three miso bowls, one beef, one vegetable, two chicken, and one curry bowl." Sakura said with a wink in Kimi's direction.

"Yay! Curry!" the green-eyed girl cheered.

"Sakura-san!" Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku's called out, "Did you lose another bet? This is the third time this week!"

She laughed ruffling Sota's hair, "Sota got the better of me today."

Sometimes, going to Ichiraku's saddened her since there were so many memories she had of this place, but at the same time, it helped her stay grounded since this Ichiraku's was not the building as the one in her time. This stand had been destroyed and rebuilt during the Fourth Shinobi War, and she had visited the newly made shop often enough that this old version hardly affected her anymore. She did miss seeing Ayame around the shop, but that was to be expected given her current age.

"Well the sun does shine on this side of fire country!" Sakura turned to see a white haired man staring at her lecherously. "And I had thought I had seen all the wonders of the world but standing here before me is the crown jewel!"

"Jiraiya-san," Sakura greeted politely if somewhat detached. It was the only way she had learned how to deal with him without having to evade the clumsy passes at seduction.

It took him blinking at her in surprise before she realized her mistake. '_Right,'_ she mentally slapped herself, _'in this time, he hasn't met me yet.'_

He laughed uneasily, "I see that my reputation precedes me! For no other could match me in my good looks, winning personality, and specialized techniques in the bedroom." Sakura's skin crawled when he winked at her. She _did not_ just get hit on by Naruto's sensei!

"What techniques in the bedroom?" Kimi asked as she propped her elbows up on the counter, "Are they good for pillow fights?"

The toad sanin stared at Kimi's big green eyes dumbly. "Er well, these are highly specialized techniques… advanced stuff…"

"Can you teach me?" the blonde asked.

Sakura stared at Kimi in open-mouthed shock as Jiraiya stuttered, "I… you… You didn't tell me you had a daughter!"

Kimi huffed, hating being ignored. "Answer my question!"

And then the twins had hopped over the counter and stared at Jiraiya with the seriousness of a death match. "What are those weird lines on your face?" Rori asked pulling at his cheeks and appearing quite comical.

"It doesn't look like blood," Dale commented before the sanin could answer, "Maybe he painted it. Hey, did you paint those lines on your face?"

"That's stupid," Moro commented as he spun on the barstool, "Why would you paint your face?"

"Maybe it's a clan sign?" Mimi suggested.

"It's a stupid clan sign if it is," Moro returned.

"Are you a porcupine?" Dale asked, "Your hair looks spiky."

"No," said Sota from behind Jiraiya as he poked at his hair, "It's not sharp like our needles."

"Can I touch it?" Kimi asked. Without waiting for a reply, she hopped off her bar stool.

But then, Itachi firmly grabbed her arm. "No."

As Kimi whined and pouted and tried to wheedle her way out, the twins were busy giving Jiraiya an intense stare down. It was actually a relatively comical sight to witness, the stubborn sanin glaring at them back with equal irritation, and the two boys refusing to blink. Sakura had to put a hand to her mouth to hold in her laughter, but even so, her shoulders still shook with mirth.

Rori studied the sanin up and down with a look of absolute concentration. "I know what you are," he said solemnly like a judge convicting a common crook, "You're that hobo that keeps getting lost in the girls' bathhouse."

"What's a hobo?" Kimi asked.

"I think it's some kind of disease," Sota replied scratching his head.

"Ew!" the twins cried simultaneously at this revelation and backed off from the man 'contaminated' with the disease of 'Hobo,' and scooted as far down the bar counters as they could manage.

"I hate children," Jiraiya grumbled putting his head between his hands in defeat.

Mimi still looked as though she was trying to work up the courage to go test the needle-hair theory while Kimi was still jerking on the arm Itachi had captured, trying to get free.

The only reason the rising bubble of laughter hadn't escaped from Sakura was because three fingers were firmly pressed against her lips, yet the overbright shine in her eyes gave her away. Her abdomen twitched as she tried to hold it in, knowing full well the sanin would not appreciate her amusement.

Catching her eye though, he glared at her anyways.

"Alright everyone," she said once she felt as though she could hold in her giggles, "You know better than to pester strangers like that."

"He's not a stranger. You called him 'Jiraiya-san,'" Moro pointed out.

"Even so," Sakura straightened as she donned her strict 'listen-to-me-or-else' face, "It's rude to jump in his face like that. Now everyone, back to your seats."

"Yes Mama," her kids grumbled as they (reluctantly) returned to Sakura's side of the bar. Granted, that didn't stop Rori and Dale from shooting the older man looks over their shoulders, and Jirayia, being the mature adult, stuck his tongue out at them.

"Serves you brats right," he taunted.

"Oy! We're not brats!" Sota protested.

"Well, I'm not a hobo," Jiraiya pointed out.

Sota's mouth was opening to contest _that_ particular theory when Moro elbowed him in the ribs. "Shut up, stupid! Or we'll get in more trouble."

The sanin, however, was no longer paying attention to the squabbling boys or the fidgeting twins. His gaze was quite fixed on Kimi, and he studied her with an intensity that made Sakura distinctly uncomfortable. Leaning on the counter, her hair rolled from her shoulder and blocked Kimi from view.

"You never struck me as the pedophile type Jiraiya-_san_." There was a bite of venom in her voice, a warning like the growl of a grizzly bear preparing to defend her cub.

"Forgive me," the white-haired man said, yet the seriousness of his tone belittled the sincerity of his apology. "I was merely thinking how her eyes matched your own." His stern set of features held its own warning

"Yep!" Kimi chirped as she peeked around Sakura's hair, "I've got my Mama's eyes." The young girl beamed as though this was the greatest thing in the world.

A smile softened Sakura's stern expression. That was something they had in common; they both had inherited their mother's green eyes.

"I wish my hair was like hers too," Kimi continued oblivious of Sakura's attempts to put herself between the little girl and Jiraiya's stare, "but it just looks like my daddy's."

If anything, this seemed to put the sanin more on edge as his gaze again shifted to Kimi. His head tilted slightly, casting his eyes in shadow such that he appeared not only grim, but dangerous. Sakura's grip on the countertop tightened, her eyes flashing in warning.

"And who," he asked, his tone dark and serious, "is her fath—"

"Sorry I'm late!"

And there he was again, arriving right when she needed his help, the sunlight beaming in his golden hair as he ambled up to the ramen stand. As always, a smile lit her face when she found an old friend.

There was a voice that kept reminding her that he was a dead man walking (and that she should really avoid getting attached for that reason). She squashed that voice now. It had been a long time since she had seen that sunny blond hair or brilliant blue eyes, and she was just so glad he was here. So happy he was still _alive_. It wasn't her fault, something she could have prevented. He was alive, and for the moment, that was enough.

He was walking to Jiraiya looking beat down and worn, and he must have been exhausted because he nearly jumped out of his skin when she greeted him as he stumbled past her.

"Minato-san!" she hailed, a half giggle on her lips at his absentmindedness.

But then he shifted, and it was like he stole the air from her lungs.

It was one of those strange moments, the kind you might see out of an old movie. He seemed to turn to her in slow motion, responding instinctively to his name, but she could see, as though she was watching it frame by frame, how his expression changed. First it was surprise as though she had appeared out of nowhere, then something softer settled in, a look that she didn't fully understand but still left her breathless.

Sakura didn't know why her heart rate picked up or how everything else seemed to just fade into the background. There was a tightness in her chest, a warmth that crawled up her spine. _That look_. It was not a man looking at a woman; it was more like someone who had been gone for a long, long time and had finally returned home. No, it was more than that. It was like when you realized exactly what you wanted in life and when you finally found it, that was the smile, the soft, content smile, as though nothing else mattered.

Sakura didn't know what to say, didn't know how to react, but as she stared at him, her own smile echoing back, she could feel something shifting in her, like a flower turning towards the sun.

"You know her?" Jiraiya tore through their quiet world bringing them back to the ramen shop.

Sakura blushed profusely as she stared at the paint lines on the countertop, but Minato kept smiling as the bells on her hairclip jingled in the wind.

"Hai, Sakura-san went on the Kannabi Bridge mission with my team. She saved their lives."

If Sakura was blushing before, she was beet red now. "Ah, it was nothing."

She had never been good at accepting praise, especially when it was something she would have done anyways. When she was in the medic core, saving lives was her _job_, yet people commended her as though she had done something special. She was just using her gifts just like everyone else to protect her comrades and her home. It wasn't something that anyone else, given the same skill set or timing, could have done, and she wasn't the type of ninja that could pretend otherwise.

Minato was still beaming at her as though she had been the one to complement him.

But now that she stopped and looked at him, _really looked_, she couldn't help but notice how his shoulders seemed to sag and the dark lines under his eyes. His whole being radiated exhaustion, the kind of weariness that didn't just come from poor sleep and hard nights; it sinks into bones and wears on the spirit.

Sakura felt her lips purse and the corners of her eyes tighten. _A memorial stone with his name on it_. What was the Hokage doing to him? But before she could form the right words to voice her concerns, the youngest child in the bunch piped up.

"You're Mama's teammate?" Kimi asked.

"I am," Minato smiled indulgently, stooping down to Kimi's eye level. There was something about the gesture that struck Sakura as familiar. Maybe it was the way he moved when he bent over, maybe it was something about the way he spoke to Kimi, warmly, familiarly, as if he already knew her.

"Oh I'm sorry," Sakura cut in, "let me introduce everyone. "Minato-san, Jiraiya-san, this is Kimi," she touched the blonde's head, "Moro, Mimi, Dale, Rori, Sota, and Itachi. Kids, this is Minato-san. The mission I went on was with his team, and this guy," she gestured to Jiraiya with her thumb, "is the legendary pervert of Konoha."

The sanin stuttered, and for a moment Sakura thought she had misjudged his sense of humor. "I'm not a pervert," he fumed. Then standing on top of the bar stool, he dramatically pointed at himself and proudly puffed up his chest. "I'm a **super** pervert!"

Minato slapped his forehead while the kids looked at each other in confusion.

Mimi's brown eyes stared at the odd man posing on the barstool. "What's a pervert?" she finally asked.

..

**And the Omake contest winner is**: "Kakashi the kid-sitter" by AshenMarsha

In retrospect, Kakashi thought, tying the children to the kitchen table hadn't been his brightest idea to date. Granted he had _warned_ Minato-sensei that he wasn't good with kids and that this was a job better suited for Rin (who loved children) or Obito (who had never fully grown up), but no no, his sensei had insisted.

"This is a learning experience," the blond jounin said, "It'll be good for you."

Kakashi, having been an only child, didn't exactly grow up with younger children or the responsibility that came along with being an older sibling. What's more, he was a protégé, a child genus, and could barely relate to his own peers much less the half pints swarming around his ankles.

Maybe tying them to the table was a bit extreme, but there was no way he was chasing those brats around the ceiling again.

Adjusting his mask now that the little maggots weren't trying to rip it off his face anymore, Kakashi took a head count. One, two, three, four… the two older boys on one side, the girls on the other, and the twins hogtied together in the middle.

Six.

He was missing one.

As he turned around and met a blazing pair of red eyes, the last thing Kakashi remembered thinking was, "He's seven! How does he have a fully developed sharingan?!"

Oddly enough, he wasn't too terribly upset when he woke up to find himself tied flat against the table and the two girls scribbling on his arms with gleeful abandon. It was more of a resigned feeling, like a sigh that was best left unanswered, and all things considered, it could have gone a lot worse.

When Sakura found him, looking more like a rainbow monkey who had been force-fed radioactive jello, she began to understand why Kakashi might have failed all those other genin teams. She didn't know why Itachi kept shooting him death glares or why the twins had taken a sudden interest in knot tying, but the girls didn't seem too upset and Kakashi didn't seem to be suffering from acute traumatic stress so maybe everything had worked out alright? Even so, she probably should still tip him extra, just in case…

Kakashi left the apartment in a daze, his skin tinged green and his hair a light shade of blue. He was still trying to figure out if he was under some kind of genjutsu when Obito nearly toppled over into the street, laughing and pointing at his face.

.

**AN**: More than a few people have been asking why there seems to be less Naruto in these later chapters (especially when compared to Part 1), and the reason for it without giving any spoilers away is that when we next see Konoha we're going to see the changes that have befallen a world without its Allotter. I know the world Sakura is in isn't exactly balanced either (2 Allotters and 1 Spinner), but I think a world that has a fate that can be avoided is still much more stable than a world in which any given fate (from daimio to peasant) can be switched up and mixed around.


End file.
